TWD Chronicles
by dimples33
Summary: Rick and his group have finally settled in Alexandria and are living their lives. However unknown to them, there are dangers lurking outside and within the ASZ that threaten their peaceful community.
1. Chapter 1

TWD Chronicles

By Giselle George

aka dimples33

This story picks up after Rick and his group arrived in Alexandria and have finally settled down after the Walker herd and the wolves attack.

 **Chapter 1: Circle within a circle**

Denise gave Judith a final check up. "She'll be alright, Judith's a fighter. It's just a cold."

"Are you sure?" Michonne looked at the toddler, a worried expression on her face. Denise looked as Carl and then back at Michonne.

"Yes, just give her the medicine I gave you and she'll bounce back within a week's time."

"A whole week?!" Michonne stared at Denise, her voice almost in a shriek. She reached for the fussy toddler. "She still feels abit warm."

The look Carl saw on Denise face was annoyance at being questioned on her ability. He walked over to Michonne and placed his hand on hers.

Judith will be fine, I promise." Carl and Michonne was now facing each other and that's when Denise saw something. This was more than just concern for a sick toddler. She looked outside and saw the dark coming in.

"You guys need to take her home before the night dew steps in."

Carl quickly gathered their things and they quickly exited the infirmary heading home.

Later that night.

Rick arrived home to meet Carl in the kitchen making a sandwich.

"How's Judith?"

"Denise said it's just a cold but…"

"But what?" Worry had began to creep in Rick's face. Carl saw this and attempted to calm his fears.

"Nothing. With the medicine Denise gave us Judith will be well within a week."

"Well that's good news." Rick reach over and began making a sandwich for himself.

"Yeah…." His response was quiet..un-reassuring. Rick noticed.

"Carl…" Carl stared at his father.

"Mom is just worried...that's all."

"Where is she?"

"Seriously dad?!" It's a stupid question Carl thought. Where else would she be.

"Right." Rick turned to head up to Judith's room.

"Give her this...she hasn't eaten all day."

Rick took the sandwich and sprinted up the stairs. Judith's room door was slightly opened. He could see Michonne sitting on a chair, close to Judith's crib rocking it gently. The window was opened and the curtain slightly pulled. A gentle breeze passed through them. It was a full moon and the clean white light slicked into the room passing perfectly between Michonne and the crib. The light was softly touching Michonne's face and it was then he saw that she had been crying. He knocked.

"May I?"

Instinctively, Michonne pulled back from the moonlight into the shadow of the room. She had been crying and wasn't prepared to answer any of Rick's questions about it.

"Sure..be quiet though..she just fell asleep" Rick knelt down besides her.

"Carl made this for you."

She gave a slight smile, took a bite, chewed a little..placing the rest on the night stand. "I can take over tonight..or Carl. You have been here since Judith got sick 4 days ago."

"I'm fine..I'll stay tonight as well."

"I just think that…"

Michonne cut him off with her hand pointing to the corner of the room. There was a cot already made..ready for its occupant. "I'm fine."

Rick knew better than to argue at this point. He kissed her on the cheek and said goodnight. In the kitchen, Carl was nowhere to be found.

"Carl?"

"Out back!"

Rick followed the voice and saw Carl watching Enid walk away into the night. "How's mom?

"Tired..but she wouldn't leave Judith's side. Judith's asleep. She's strong. She'll pull through."

"She has to pull through..if not for me or for you she has to pull through for mom...because she can't go through this again..she just can't!" There was an eerie pause.

"What?"

Carl back stiffened..then he cringed. Damn it. He made a huge mistake.

"Its nothing dad."

He turned and rushed passed Rick without even looking at him. Rick followed.

"Did Michonne say something?"

Rick held his son's gaze as he cornered him at the bottom of the stairs.

"No..I swear. It's just that I think all this death is getting to her and I am worried." Rick said nothing. "Remember the prison? It started as a cold and look what it turned into."

"This isn't the same thing." Rick's eyes narrowed. "Did Denise say it could be something else? Tell me Carl!"

"No dad..it's just a cold. Denise is sure of it."

"Ok."

"Goodnight dad."

Rick hugged him. "Goodnight."

Carl went up to his room as Rick made his way to the sofa. After awhile, a small chuckle escaped his lips. It was on this same sofa he and Michonne first made love 6 months ago. It was passionate...raw. They were animals. They were both hungry..hungry for each other bodies but the world just wouldn't let them be.

The attraction, sexual energy and longing have been building for months, years but the undead and the living kept them too busy to act. First it was the governor, then the flu outbreak then the governor again. They then lost their home, spending weeks on the road.

Then the Claimers tried to take a piece of him, Michonne and Carl which fortunately they lived briefly to regret. The Terminus Cannibals made that same mistake too. Back on the road again until Aaron found them and now they are here..in Alexandria.

They were starting over when the wolves and the walkers herd attacked but thankfully they were victorious in defending their home. Except for the assholes who tried to kill Sasha, Abraham and Daryl a few weeks back everything has been good.

Rick smiled to himself..mints..it all started with mints. Kissing Michonne lit a fire in his belly and boy did it burn. Their bodies intertwined on the sofa..touching..searching..feeling.

They climaxed together the first time, his juices spilling into Michonne's center. Her back arched as his lips suckled feverishly on her nipples and her legs quivered uncontrollably. After three deep breaths, she pulled his face up to hers and whispered." _I want more.."_

She didn't have to tell him twice. He scooped her up butt naked and sprinted up the stairs. They made love twice again that night. Later he had slipped out of bed to retrieve their clothes from the sofa only to see that they were already folded on a chair in the corner of the room.

He glanced over at a sleeping Michonne and thought that she probably had the same idea and had beaten him to the punch. He quickly crawled back into bed and cuddled next to her.

That next morning.

"Good morning." He greeted Daryl in the kitchen.

"It's about time." Rick looked at Daryl who then glanced at the sofa. "I just thought I should tidy up a bit." Daryl was grinning at him, gave Rick a pat in the back and left.

"Shit."

Rick smiled at the memories of the sofa. Checking his watch and seeing it was 1am he headed upstairs. He checked in Carl's room then made his way to Judith's room. Michonne had Judith in her arms...both were fast asleep.

Contented, he went to their bedroom, quickly changed and slipped into bed. He took one of Michonne's pillows and inhaled it. It smelt good..the scent of Michonne. Two hours later, Carl words were still ringing in his ears.. _"If not for me or for you..she has to pull through for mom..because she can't go through this again..she just can't."_

Sure Carl gave him an explanation but as a group they have lost people before and she dealt with it..they all did or so he thought..Andrea, Hershel, Tyrese, Bob, Beth, Noah. Carl's words sounded again.. _"for Michonne…again."_

Those words played over and over in Rick's head as he stared at the dark ceiling. After ten minutes..rick wondered. "Did Carl lie to him? He needed answers. Carl stirred on the bed only to be startled by Rick.

"Dad!

"You lied to me."

Carl put on the side lamp.

"About what?"

"What did you mean by _again?_ "

"I told you."

"I know what you told me. You specifically said ' _Michonne can't go through this again.'_ What did you mean?" Carl just looked at his father. "Ok. I'll ask Michonne in the morning."

"No! You can't!"

"Why?"

"You just can't!"

"Fine." He turned to leave. Thinking that Rick will make good on his threat, Carl blurted it out.

"She had a son!" Rick's hand froze on the door knob. "Mom had a son..his name was Andre..he was 3yrs old when he died!" Carl's voice was sharing with every word he spoke. A minute of silence passed between them. "Dad?" Carl was whispering now..whimpering.

Rick's mind was going 1000mph. Michonne had a kid..she's a mom! Then the rest of Carl's confession slowly sank in.. _his name was Andre..he was 3yrs old when he died.._ She was a mom.

"Dad!"

That's when he realized Carl had been shaking him..his eyes pleading with him.

"You can't tell mom I told you! You can't tell anyone! Please!" Rick stared at his son. "Promise!"

"Ok…"

Carl walked back to his bed defeated.

"I betrayed her. She'll never forgive me."

"Hey..don't say that. You know Michonne will forgive you anything."

"I shouldn't have told you."

"Yeah...probably." Carl stared at this father. "I wouldn't have asked her anything. I would never compromise you like that. Did she tell you not to tell me?"

"No..but I know she doesn't like to talk about it."

"Well she told you..that's says something."

"But what does that say about you? Parents aren't suppose to keep secrets from each other."

"True..but sometimes opening up a painful memory is the first step towards sharing it. When she is ready she will tell me" Rick glanced at the clock. "Time to get back to bed. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow." He hugged Carl and left.

Rick laid on the bed dumfounded. Michonne had a kid..a son. He is sure she was a good mother, no doubt. He just wondered why she didn't share this with him. She knows everything about him..hell..everyone does. About Lori, her betrayal with Shane, .

Michonne walked her way into Carl's life, Judith's life, his life and there she stayed where he held her. Sure he loved Daryl, Sasha, Abraham, Carol, Maggie, Glen, Rosita, Eugene and all the others but Michonne, Carl and Judith was HIS family..his inner circle.

Now it seems that there is a circle within his inner circle, one only reserved for Carl and Michonne. He wonders what other secrets she told him. He was jealous of Carl and he wants to be in their circle. But he made a promise. So for now, he will stand at the edge of their circle hoping, waiting and praying to be let in.

One week later….

Rick watched contented as Michonne feeds Judith. _I see you Michonne..I see you.._

"You are such a good mom..you know that right?" Rick glanced at Carl. "Any kid will be lucky to have you as their mother."

"You think so?"

"Yes..I do."

Daryl popped in his head.

"You guys ready?"

"Yup" Michonne kissed Judith before handing her to Carl. She picked up her Katanga and followed Daryl out. Rick turned to follow her.

"You promised."

"Scouts honour."

The foursome arrived at their destination. There were a few walkers which Daryl dispatched quickly.

"D and I will take that building."

"Ok. Michonne and I will check this one."

They then separated. Once inside Rick and Michonne began checking the shelves and stuffing their bags. Luckily, there weren't any walkers around. _Sorry Carl._ He walked over to Michonne's side, spun her around and pulled her close.

"Kiss me."

"What?"

"Just kiss me."

"Ok…" She kisses him long, deep and hard. "There...you happy?"

"Hmmm. Now.. Tell me about him."

"Him?"

"Yes..him. Tell me about Andre. Tell me about your son."

Michonne held her breath..her eyes narrowing. Then she gently pulled away from him. She walked to the other side of the store.

"There's nothing to tell. I had a child. He died." Her voice was cold..distant. He decided to keep pushing.

"Don't be upset. Carl made a mistake..a slip of the tongue." There was silence. "He really is broken up about it."

"It's fine..I'm not upset." She continued stuffing her bags with supplies.

"Michonne..please. Let me in."

Suddenly..Michonne drop her bag and spun around.

"Let you in?! Let you in?! What do you want me to say Rick?! That me freaking out over Judith was a reflection of my own inability...incapability to protect my own child?! That Judith being sick was a painful reminder of what I lost?! Is that what you want to hear?!'

With tears streaming down her face she walked up to Rick. Her face inches from his..here voice was low..venomous.

"I left my child with his irresponsible father and he died Rick...he died!" She backed away from him slowly. "Andre's death is on me...I killed my son!" Feeling her pain, Rick reached out to her. "Dont touch me" she whispered.."I'm disgusting!"

She back away from him again. "What I did was murder! Murder by omission! I failed to protect my child!"

Rick couldn't bear it anymore. He grabbed Michonne pulling her close to him..forcefully. She resisted at first but he didn't release her. He refused to..she needed hi. Now he was standing in her circle and he was never leaving. Michonne cried into his shoulder.

"My child is dead because of me Rick! I couldn't save him! They tore him apart! There was too much blood! She cried profusely into Rick's strong capable arms. Suddenly, her legs gave way and she collapsed. Still Rick didn't let go. He fell with her. As they sat on the floor Rick held her close. "I want him back!"

"You need to let this out..it's OK. Scream if you have to." And scream she did.

"Andre! Oh god! Please forgive me! I couldn't protect you and I'm so sorry! God help me!"

Tears silently streamed down Rick's face. This is killing hi. It tore his heart out that Michonne is in so much pain. Walkers had begun to gather at the entrance of the building. Abe and Daryl saw this and quickly disbursed the crowd. That's when they saw Rick cradling a distraught Michonne on the floor. Abe raised his gun.

"Shit!"

Daryl was about to enter when Rick raised his hand and waved him off. She shook his head at them as he continued to comfort his distressed partner.

Michonne was asleep on Rick's lap. Abe was driving. Daryl was looking at her.

"Is she alright?"

"Yes..she will be."

"Good..she scared the piss outta me!"

When they arrived home, Carl was in the kitchen reading comics. Michonne walked up to him and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you." She then went upstairs.

"Dad?"

"I'm in your circle now."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: "Two"**

It has been a blessed 2yrs standing in Michonne's circle. Alexandria is striving, the citizens contented. Eugene's amno factory has been in operation for almost a year now...well 9mths to be exact. The first couple of mths was spent searching for the right materials to make the bullets. Six mths ago he and Abe met a slippery character named Jesus and now they are trading with his community the Hilltop. That community is now their secondary food basket and in exchange Alexandria train their people in defences as well as give them weapons.

Judith began walking one year ago to everyone's delight and Maggie and Glen welcomed their daughter Elsa 6mths ago. It's Friday night and Rick's family has made it a tradition to have dinner together once a week. As Rick leaned back on the counter, he observed the chatting brood. Abe was rubbing his new wife Sasha's belly as she sat on his lap. She was eight mths pregnant.

Rosita was also sitting on Daryl's lap..she just found out that she was 3mths pregnant. She and Carol chatting away happily about her and Daryl's wedding plans. Eugene was also there with his girlfriend Vicki, one of the Alexandrians. She has blended in nicely with their group.

Carol's boyfriend Tobin wasn't feeling well so he decided to skip dinner. He too was slowly becoming a part of Rick's tight knit family. Carl was over at his girlfriend's Enid's house for the night. Suddenly, there was a squeal that caught his attention. It was Michonne and Judith on the floor. Both were laughing and giggling.

He vividly remember when Judith called Michonne 'mama' for the first time. Michonne bursted into tears and fled the room. Rick had followed her. She was overwhelmed with joy and also sorrow as she too remembered when Andre first utter those words. She had confessed that she still thinks about Andre even when holding Judith.

He assured her that its was OK, that she was not suppose to forget him...ever. That it wasn't a negative reflection on her. More squeals pulled him back from his memories.

"Ok young lady. It's time for bedtime."

Knowing this tone, Judith ran over to Rick and held on to his leg.

"Dada."

"It seems you want to put me in trouble with your mother. Nice try sweetheart."

Judith held on tighter, refusing to let go. Michonne was about to pick her up when Glen spoke.

"Hmmm…" Baby Elsa has just puked all over Glen's shirt. Rick looked at Michonne.

"I got this" as he picked up Judith in his arms to take her to bed.

"Here..I'll take Elsa while you go clean up." She took Elsa from Glen.

"Thanks Mich.."

Maggie headed home to get Glen a clean shirt while glen went to the bathroom. Michonne playfully nuzzled with the baby. Ten minutes later Rick came back downstairs after getting Judith asleep. Maggie was at the table chatting with the others while Glen and Daryl was drinking beer on the sofa.

"Where's Michonne?"

"She's on the back porch with Elsa."

Rick followed. There he saw Michonne sitting with Elsa cradled in her lap. He was about to approach them when Michonne began to speak to the baby.

"I had a baby once you know. His name was Andre and he was kind and sweet and gentle..maybe too gentle for this cruel world. He's not here. I was a good mother I think. I just made a terrible mistake and now he's gone. I miss him so much. You remind me of him."

Since Michonne's confession to him 2yrs ago about Andre, they never discussed it again but he know that Andre is never too far away from her thoughts. Since that day Michonne had whimpered his name in her sleep..unconsciously crying a couple of times.

He would just pull her close and she would nestle against him. He looked at his wedding ring. Michonne made him the happiest man alive when she said 'I do' to him one year ago but their family is still not complete. They needed a baby..SHE needed a baby. It was then and there that Rick decided….he was going to give Michonne a baby.

It's been 2wks since Rick made that promise to himself but he has been struggling to bring up the topic to Michonne. So he decided to ask the one person who knows her as well as he does.

"Hey. You got a minutes?"

Carl was in the armoury.

"Yes." Rick frowned.

"How will you feel about expanding our family?" Carl's eyes narrowed at first then widen with excitement.

"She's pregnant?! Mom's pregnant?!"

"Slow down Carl and keep your voice down! And no..she's not pregnant."

Carl was disappointed.

"I'm sorry."

"It's OK...but you guys are thinking about it right?!"

"Well..I am. Don't know how your mom will feel about it."

"You haven't talked yet?"

"You know this is difficult for her, especially since Elsa was born and Sasha is about to pop soon. Plus Rosita will be due is a couple of mths as well."

"Well talk to her dad."

Rick looked at his 16yr old son..who has grown so much in maturity. Michonne can take credit for that.

"Are you going on the supply run with Heath later this evening?" Rick nodded. "Don't. I'll take your place. Talk to mom..today." Carl turned to leave. "I hope to hear some good news when I come back."

Later that evening….

"Are you doing anything right now?"

"Was just about to pick up Judith from Maggie's. Why?"

"Come...let's go for a walk."

Rick took her hand. They strolled through the well maintained streets of the community for about ten minutes in. The evening was cool and breezy. As they walked passed Ms Celia's house, Rick picked four of her daisies and gave them to Michonne.

"You're scaring me Rick. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

His hand reached for around her waist and pulled her into him as they walked. They reached the small community park. Rick was glad there was no one there. Another ten mins passed and Michonne couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Jesus Christ Rick!" She turned to face him. "Spit it out! What's wrong?!"

Its all or nothing he thought.

"I think we should have a baby…"

Michonne was taken aback at first..then she made an attempt to speak. Rick stopped her..putting his finger on her lips.

"Before you get upset or say no, just hear me out OK. Despite what happened to Andre..how you feel about yourself..you ARE a good mother. You raised Carl and Judith as your own and I see the way you dote on Elsa. You are a good mother…"

"Rick…"

Rick cut her off.

"Wait..please! I want this and I know you want this too. The world is not ideal..I know that but that doesn't mean we stop living. We have Alexandria..this is our home. We are already raising a family and there is room to add more. There is room, love and support for another baby.."

"Rick..listen.."

Rick ignored her.

"You wouldn't be alone! I am here, Carl is here, Abe is here, Daryl is here...we are all here. We are living babe..we are living despite what the world is now. I want a child that is part you and part me! I want you to have a child of your own!"

Rick was now kneeling in front of her, his hands caressing her hands...his eyes pleading with her eyes. He then buried his face in her bosom.

"I know this is painful for you and I'll understand if you can't but I just wanted you to know how I feel. I want this as much...if you want this too."

Michonne ran her fingers through his perfect brown curls. She loved Rick with all her heart and she does see Carl and Judith as her own. Losing Andre was the lowest point in her life and it almost destroyed her. The pain was so deep. Rick and Carl and Judith pulled her back from hell but she knows she wouldnt survive if she lost another child. She raised Rick's face to hers and kissed him.

"If you had let me finished earlier you would have gotten your answer mins ago." She kissed him again. "You are right..I am not alone anymore and this is our home...let's do it..let's have a baby."

Rick waited impatiently as Denise set up the sonogram machine the Hilltop gave them. "It seems you guys need it more than us." Dr Bryce had chuckled 3days earlier.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes!" Rick shouted

"Calm down baby..calm down."

Denise began the examination. It has been a busy four months. They made love everywhere..in the shower, the kitchen, in the park in the dead of night, on supply runs..everywhere! Rick proudly gave his stack of condons to Eugene.' _I don't need them anymore..'_ He boasted. The first mth Michonne was late Rick wanted to see Denise right away, but fearing disappointment Michonne wanted to wait. Three mths have now passed and now here they are.

"You guys hear that?"

It was strong..the heartbeat. Rick never felt so overwhelmed in his life. He squeezed Michonne's hand as a quiet joyful sob escaped her lips.

"We don't want to know the sex." Rick and Michonne had made the decision to be surprised. He kissed Michonne.

"We're having a baby!" Michonne cried.

Denise turned to them.

"I think you misunderstand. Listen to this again." They did. "That's not one heartbeat..it's two."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Euphoria**

When Elsa was born Rick became concerned about the safety of babies within Alexandria. Now that Abe and Sasha's daughter Robyn and Daryl and Rosita's son Caleb were born, along with the impending births of his own twins, his concerns have only multiplied. Rick quietly watched Michonne as she slept on the bed. She is now 8mths pregnant and Dr. Bryce is expected to arrive at Alexandria in a couple of days to assist Denise with the births should she need it.

The council meetings have been convening less and less due to the arrival of the little ones but each member knows their responsibilities. Maggie and Michonne were the chief operators in the day to day running of Alexandria. Glen and Heath are in charge of supply runs, sometimes Michonne would also be there as well. Abe is in charge of the community/wall defenses whereas Sasha was in charge of gun/sniper training.

Rosita was in charge of the hand to hand combat training and Daryl and Aaron is the community's chief recruiters. Eugene's only task was to keep the amno factory up and running smoothly for trading. Carol is in charge of food and medicine distribution and Carl represented the youth arm in the community. Rick's main role is to make sure everyone was safe and everything run efficiently. Their community is now 60 persons strong, thanks to the efforts of Daryl and Aaron.

Now that Sasha and Rosita has given birth and Michonne is heavily pregnant, their duties have been reassigned. Rick has taken over all of Michonne's duties and most of Maggie's as well in the day to day operation of Alexandria while Abe has added sniper and hand to hand combat training to his duties. As part of his new assignments Rick has some ideas that he wants to see implemented.

After discussions with Maggie, it was decided that each home in Alexandria must have a safety room. Each room will be equipped with water and canned foods for sustainability should there be an attack. Each room will also be outfitted with supplies for young children and babies. As regards to the guard towers already at strategic points around the community, some houses in Alexandria will also have sniper points in the attics. A nursery has been set up in Carol's home.

Her home will be baby proof as well as have additional re-enforcement to keep walkers and intruders out. It is considered one of the strongest and safest houses in Alexandria. Outside of alexandria, three houses in the near vicinity was cleared and secured should there be a need to evacuate for any reason. When not on supply runs, Glen and Heath are in charge of doing regular patrols to these homes to ensure their continued safety.

When not on recruitment drives Daryl and Aaron as well as Abe each take a team of residents, chosen by Abe to also carry out patrols around Alexandria. Deanna would be so proud of him and what this community has become if she was still alive. Rick gently kissed his sleeping wife and headed out to start the day's activities.

Michonne woke up from her day long slumber. The house was quiet and the night was still. Rick's arm was protectively around her swollen tummy. She turned to face him. Instinctively, in his sleep, he pulled her close. She nestled in his arms until he relaxed and then slowly slipped out and into the kitchen. As she sat on the sofa, eating ice cream and cookies, she listened to the different melodies of the night and she contemplated the last 2mths of her pregnancy.

She wants to be a good wife to Rick but the pregnancy has taken a toll on her. She sleeps all day...everyday and at night, she's awake...wide awake. Rick had moved them to one of the bedrooms downstairs. She insisted that she needed the stairs for exercise as she doesn't go on supply runs anymore..but Rick doesn't want to hear it. " _I'll be damn if I risk you falling on those stairs..hurting yourself and the babies"_ Rick had told her. She didn't protest because she knew he was right.

He doesn't wake her up when plans are being discussed. She needed the rest he argued but she hates being left out, feeling so helpless...useless. She missed Judith's laughter and Carl telling her about his day. She missed her family. Michonne quietly looks over Rick's drawn plans for the community. It appears that it was decided that more security measures should be put in place, especially for the babies.

Since she couldn't be there for any meetings, she has resorted to writing her own ideas on Rick's plans. It's just her way of contributing to the development of the community…..her home. This has been her ritual for that past couple weeks. Suddenly, the babies became restless and then just as suddenly..they became quiet. Michonne scooped another spoon of ice cream in her mouth.

"Leave some for me."

"Jesus!" Rick startled her, causing her to drop the cup of ice cream on her tummy. Rick rushed to her side, kitchen towel in hand.

"Sorry...I thought you heard me open the door."

Rick kneeled down in front of Michonne and opened her nightgown. It revealed full, bouncy, juicy breasts. As he dried her off, the babies became restless again.

"They know daddy is here." Michonne smiled at him.

"Yes, they do." Rick was quiet for a moment. "Are you happy Mich?"

Michonne was taken aback, puzzled by his question.

"Of course I am happy. Don't you ever doubt that." Michonne lovingly caressed Rick's cheek...the stubble tickling her fingers. She smiled at him. "Are you happy?"

"Yes..I am happy. Very happy." Rick then kissed his restless, unborn babies.

Three days later.

"You promised dad." Rick and Carl was in the kitchen. "You know she's gonna be pissed if you don't wake her up."

Today is the day of the installation of the safety room at the Grimes home. Daniel, one of Daryl's and Aaron's recruits is coming over today to help with the remodelling of one of the room. He is an architect and a welcomed addition since Deanna's husband Michael died.

"If you don't do it..I will. Not feeling to get snapped at by mom for something you're supposed to do." Carl headed for the bedroom.

"I'll do it...but I'll wake her up when Daniel arrives and not a minute before."

Carl nodded and headed out. In one of her nightly notes, Michonne reserved...correction...demanded the right to be present for all things directly concerned with the setting up of the safety room in the house. The design, location, everything. Rick wasn't going to deny her..so he willingly agreed. Soon, there was a knock. It was Daniel. He wasn't due till later during the day. Rick opened the door.

"Mr Grimes.."

"Please..call me Rick." They shook hands.

"Do you have any idea where you want the safety room to be?" Rick thought for a moment.

"It's definitely going to be upstairs but I need to consult my wife before any decision is made. This is her project."

"Ok."

Rick went into the bedroom while Daniel headed upstairs.

"Babe.." He shook her gently. "Babe..Daniel's here."

"Ok." She whispered. He helped her to her feet. As they stood at the bottom of the stairs, she looked at it questioningly.

"We don't have to do this now..you don't have to do this. Just tell me what you want and I will make it happen."

"I want to do this Rick..please."

She squeezed his hand to give them both some assurance. When they reached upstairs, Daniel was at the end of the hallway.

"This view is perfect." Daniel observed. Rick smiled.

"This is my wife, Michonne."

They shook hands. Rick stepped away to let them talk. This is Michonne's project. Her body has changed since she got pregnant. Her hips and thighs were fuller, her ass meatier. He was loving Michonne's new body. Pregnancy suits her well. The snake in his pants had begun to stir in his lower region thinking about Michonne's naked body in front of him..and all this things he would like to do to her new voluptuous body. He walked further down the hall flushed with excitement at his thoughts. Half an hour later, Michonne and Daniel walked back down the hall.

"Your wife is very detailed..specific."

Rick grinned.

"Do you guys know what you're having?"

"We prefer the wait and see approach. As long as they are healthy."

"They?"

"Yeah..twins."

"Wow!" He looked at Rick, then to Michonne and back at Rick again.

"You seem to have everything under control."

"We try." Rick responded.

"Hmmmm. Hope it last."

The smile instantly vanished from Rick and Michonne's face and they both stared as Daniel casually walked down the stairs and out of the house.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: "Watch and listen"**

Daniel have been working at the Grimes house for the past 7 days. While Michonne's favourite colour is blue, Rick's favourite colour is red. Michonne have been trying her best to blend the colours as best as she can although Rick insists that she can decorate the whole room blue if she wants..as long as she is happy. " _But what if one of the babies is a girl..then what?_ She argued. Tomboys will like blue right? Rick was teasing her.

Michonne stood in the doorway and peered into the dark room Daniel was renovating. Rick would be pissed and freak out if he found her up here...especially at this time of night. Quietly, she turned and walked down the hall towards the stairs only to see Rick waiting at the bottom. She folded her arms defiantly. So did Rick. A minute of silence passes between them.

"I needed to check on things."

"You don't trust me to fulfil your wishes?"

"I didn't say that."

Slowly Rick ascended up the stairs. On reaching Michonne he bend down and addressed his kids.

"Your mom is stressing me out."

Rick peered up at Michonne as she rolled her eyes. "Hope you guys don't take after her.."

"Hey!" Michonne nudged Rick. He laughed.

"Just kidding...I hope you guys take exactly after her..she's perfect."

They then walked back to the renovating room. "So what do you think?"

"Daniel is doing a good job." Michonne observed.

Walking to the end of the hall Rick grabbed a blanket and a pillow from one of the nearby rooms. Spreading the blanket on the floor, Rick helped Michonne to sit. He pulled the curtain to the large doors at the end of the hall so that the moonlight came dancing in. He then positioned himself behind Michonne placing the large pillow between them. Michonne leaned back into the pillow..into Rick. She let put a contented sigh.

"You good?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Good."

He wrapped his hands around her. A few minutes of welcomed silenced engulfed them as they listened to each other silent breathing.

"Have you thought about any baby names?

Rick was now playing with Michonne's fingers.

"I have..you?"

Michonne nodded. "I was thinking..if it is two boys we could name them Liam and Dante. If it is two girls we could name them Avery and Quinn."

"What if it is one boy and one girl?"

"I haven't reached that far yet!" Michonne chuckled.

"Well...I like the name Liam and Dante for the boys. I also like the name Avery but Quinn sounds like a crazy person. The world already has gone to shit. Not gonna give my daughter any crazy names."

"Fair enough...how about Avery and Jasmine.

"Jasmine...I like that. If it is one boy and one girl..I was thinking Remy or Xavier for the boy and Lilith or Casey for the girl…"

"Hmmm. I like the name Xavier for the boy and Casey for the girl."

"So it's settle then?"

Michonne settled into her husband's arm."It's settled."

Meanwhile….

In one of the houses in Alexandria..a walkie talkie came alive.

"Hey..you there?"

"Yeah..I'm here."

"Is everything going according to plan?"

"So far so good. No one suspects a thing. Everyone is just happy as clams in this place. They have no idea what's coming."

"What have you learned so far?"

"Well..the women in this town are fertile as fuck..that's for sure. Five babies in three years! Jesus!"

The man on the other end laughed.

"Any threats?"

"The women are as dangerous as the men but since they all decided to repopulate the earth at the same time I don't see them as being any threat anytime soon."

"Hmmm..what about the men?"

"Well Rick's the leader and he's expecting twins with his samauri wife..and they also have two other children..a teenager name Carl and a toddler name Judith. So he has the most to lose."

"Anyone else?"

Abe is a huge f*cker, very good with weapons and he's the one who maintains the walls of the community. He also has a young baby as well."

"Ok..what about the Chinese guy and the biker?"

"Glen's a slippery one..almost caught me snooping a couple of times and father to a young daughter. Daryl..I just can't read him. He doesn't talk much..well atleast to me anyway..but he is dangerous with knives. He's also is a father to a young son with his wife Rosita."

"Good..good. They all have weaknesses. Easier for us to take when the time comes."

"Are we really gonna do this? These are good people. There are women and children here..babies. They can't get hurt.."

"And they wouldn't get hurt once their parents do as they are told."

"But they are innocent!"

"From the moment their parents brought them into this hell of a world they lost their innocence."

There was a chuckle.

"Whats so funny?"

"Taking this place may not be as easy as it looks."

"Whats that suppose to mean?"

"I heard stories..stories about rick and his group..about when they first came here. The community respects them..and will follow their lead. Plus they are battle tested."

"So are we.."

"Look..all I am saying is don't underestimate them..that's all."

"You feel sorry for them?!"

"They are good people and I don't want to see any unnecessary bloodshed..especially of women and children."

"We don't kill women and children remember?!"

"You and I both know that's not entirely true."

"It doesn't matter anyway..we have our orders..and unless you want to become the new scarface on the block, do as you are told."

"So what's next?"

"Just watch and listen buddy...just watch and listen."

Then there was silence. The man cautiously look outside his window on the quiet community of Alexandria. He feels sorry for them. Their world is about to crumble around them. But this is the world they live in now..the strong dominate the weak and those who don't comply die. He learned that the hard way and he have no intention of doing that again. He quickly hid the walkie talkie and went back to bed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: "Calm"**

Rick, Glen and Abe are out on a supply run. Rick decided to go as it will be the last for a long time to come. Dr. Bryce is already at Alexandria and upon examining Michonne, decided that she should be on 24hr rest as the babies could arrive at anytime. With Michonne on bed rest under the watchful eyes of Carl, it made Rick's decision much easier. They were rummaging through a department store when they hit the jackpot. There was baby clothes everywhere as well as some lingerie. They had gotten some things before for Elsa, Robyn and Caleb was born but nothing nowhere as nice as these. Rick decides to take all and let the ladies decide when they get back. Abe searched through the lingerie.

"What's Michonne favourite colour?"

Rick with his back turned, answered absent mindedly.

"Blue….why?"

To Glen's horror, Abe picked out the skimpiest blue outfit he could find. Rick turned and saw what Abe was holding out. He squinted his eyes at Abe suspiciously.

"Hey man...not trying to be all up in your grill..but you're gonna need this."

Abe looked at Glen who shook his head for him to stop talking.

"I'm telling you..Michonne is not gonna feel sexy after giving birth. I learned that the hard way from Sasha after she had our daughter. She didn't want me near her for weeks..and she cried a lot. I'm not saying you have to do anything..just give it to her to make her still feel beautiful."

Glen breathe a sigh of relief and then looked at Abe accusingly.

"That bit of information would have been useful after Elsa was born you know."

Abe pulled out another set of undies and threw them at Glen.

"There's still time!"

They all chuckled. Rick didn't remember much from when Carl was born. He did however remember Lori's mom chewing him out for almost missing Carl's birth and Lori spending the first seven weeks of Carl s life at her mom's house. She claimed she needed help with the baby and since he was never at home it made sense for her to go to her mom's. Rick didn't protest..he just didn't want to fight anymore.

Suddenly there was a loud clasps of thunder and then they began to hear the sound of huge raindrops on the roof. They rushed to the door..only to see thick, angry, grey clouds racing towards them.

"You think we could make a break for it?"

Glen looked to Rick for their next move, then to Abe. Rick studied the threatening clouds for a minute.

"We don't know what's coming with those clouds. Its better if it comes to us than we to it. We could ride it out better here."

Glen and Abe nodded in agreement. After barricading the doors to the store, they sat on the floor and quietly listened to the raindrops as they pounded the rooftop. It was Abe who broke the silence.

"I never thought that we could have had a life in all this shit. Meeting Sasha, having a kid..in all this? You were right Glen….you were right."

"Good can come out of any situation..Hershel taught me that. It's when you have nothing to fight for..nothing to lose..that's when the whole world goes to hell. Maggie is the best thing to happen to me and I will never stop fighting."

"I thought you was bat crazy to bring a baby in all this..I really did. But now that my nugget is born I finally understood."

"You guys planning on having anymore kids?"

"We haven't talked about it but seeing what we have now..a home..an actual life makes me believe in anything. You made the right decision Rick."

"About what?"

"About bringing us here..to Alexandria."

"You can thank Michonne for that."

Abe looked at Glen who nodded in agreement.

"You can thank Michonne for a lot of things. She wanted to come here. She wanted to give this place a chance. I didn't. She made me see things differently..in a new light. She showed me that not all people are bad and that people can change." Abe and Glen remained silent..thoughtful.

"After Lori died and the lost of the prison I just shut down. Couldn't see pass my own guilt..my own grief. I was dragging you all down with me but she pulled me up...believed in me..pushed me to never give up."

"When did you know you were in love?" Abe asked.

"I don't really know. It was a build up of everything...who she was and who I was. There was always something between us. I felt it. She felt it too...just didn't know what it was. She was there for me. I never had that. She called me out on my bullshit too. It was just everything. She's my everything."

Rick looked at them.

"She is my soul. This life...what we have...is because of her."

Abe pulled out a flask and gave a toast.

"To Michonne."

He took a sip and passed it to Glen who also took a sip.

"To Michonne."

He handed the flask to Rick..a small smile escaped his lips.

"To Michonne."

Back at Alexandria, Michonne was staring at the to the raindrops. After a while, she whispered into the walkie talkie.

"Rick…"

No response..She gripped the walkie talkie.

"Rick.."

"Hey..I'm here."

She closed her eyes in a sigh of relief.

"Just checking in...the weather is really bad here."

"Same here. We decided to ride out the storm here..instead of taking chances out on the road."

"That's good."

"Are you OK?"

"No..not really. My back is killing me."

"I'm sorry. I should be there with you."

"You needed this baby..I didn't get to do a last hoorah so enjoy it for the both of us." She paused. "I just wanted to thank you for giving me second chance at being a mother."

"I should be thanking you...for giving me second chance at life. I love you Michonne Hunter-Grimes."

"I love you too..and don't you ever doubt or forget that. See you soon babe."

"Yeah."

Then there was silence. Michonne pulled the cover closer over her to keep warm. A shadow quickly darted from outside her window.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: "Point of View" Part 1**

"We can't do this!"

He gripped the walkie talkie as he sat on the floor in the corner of his room.

"This is the only and best chance we will get! Most of the threat is out of the community and given the state of the women, they will not put up a fight."

"This is wrong!"

"Hey! Get a grip!"

"Was this authorized?! Did he authorized this?"

"He wants this place...how is a matter for me to decided and that time is now! The others are ready and are on board so you better be. They have their orders. This is happening now!"

"Wait!"

There was silence.

It had been raining whole night but now as the morning had begun to step in, the rain has slowed into a slight drizzle. The sun peeped through the store window and Rick decided to check in while Abe and Glen pack the truck.

"Good morning Mrs Grimes.."

There was a pause.

"She's still sleeping." It was Carl on the other end.

"How's everything?"

"Quiet. When are you guys coming back?"

"We are packing the truck now. Will check in when we are close."

Then suddenly, Rick heard gun shots.

"What was that?!"

There was no response.

"Carl!"

"Dad! We're under attack!"

The line went dead. Rick grabbed his bag and fled the store.

The gunshots stunned Michonne out of her sleep. Almost immediately Carl rushed into her room carrying Judith in his arms.

"What's going on?!"

"We're under attack!"

Michonne grabbed her Katana and pulled out a large draw under her bed. She placed a crying Judith in it. The safety room at the Grimes home wasn't completed as yet but Rick had placed bars on the windows and a gate at the downstairs bedroom door which they were occupying as a temporary measure. Carl was already strapped with his shotgun and 9mm. As he rushed out Michonne called out to him.

"Please...be careful."

Carl nodded and disappeared from her sight. Michonne quickly closed the door.

"We need to move now! Rick barked at Abe and Glen.

"What's wrong?" Glen asked

"Alexandria is under attack!"

Seconds later with Glen at the wheel, the truck roared out of the courtyard.

There was panic within the walls of Alexandria. As Carl raced out into the streets..he was greeted by a Sam..the local mechanic. Sam raised his gun at Carl. Carl..sensing the danger quickly dropped to his knees and pulled the trigger. Sam fell to the ground.

Carl ran towards Carol's house that was already in full lockdown when the first shots were fired. Enid saw him and opened the door just in time as Carl flung himself through the opening. Enid locked back the door. The only baby that managed to make it to Carol's house in all the chaos was Elsa. Maggie has risen earlier the morning to begin writing out schedules for the residence and had just walked through the door with Elsa in hand when the shooting started. Rosita was nursing a cold so Caleb spent the night at Carol's.

"What's going on?! Whose attacking us?!" Maggie asked..very confused.

Carl looked at them grimly.

"We are being attacked from within. Sam just tried to kill me. I had to put him down."

Enid, Thom, Maya and Celeste had already began loading the guns Carol had placed on the table.

Carol grew concerned.

"Where's Michonne?"

She's at home with Judith...they are safe."

She looked around.

"Where's Sasha and Rosita?"

Robyn woke up screaming at the first sound of the gunshots. Sasha fled to her room, grabbed her daughter and sprinted for the safety room. Securing her distressed baby, Sasha raced to her bedroom, which because of its location, she convinced Rick that it would be the perfect spot for a sniper post.

Staring through her sniper scope, she saw Wayne, slit Mrs Celia's throat as she ran to him for help. She put her finger on the trigger when suddenly she was being shot at. She dived to the floor and kept there. She observed the bullets was piercing the wall of her bedroom. That's when she realized from the trajectory, it was coming from the guard tower post at the wall, directly opposite her bedroom window.

She awaited patiently for the reload and in one fluid movement Sasha aimed directly across from her and pulled the trigger twice. She smiled with pleasure as she saw Jerry's body free fall outside the walls. She then aimed towards Wayne last location. She shot at him but missed as he escaped at the side of her house.

Then she heard glass breaking downstairs. Sasha grabbed her gun and stealthily tip toed out into the hallway. She paused at the top of the stairs as it was eerily quiet. She slowly descended the stairs. Upon reaching the bottom she saw that her front door was wide opened..the locks broken. She's not surprised..Wayne was in charge of the security for all the homes in Alexandria since he joined the community 1 year ago.

Sasha decided it wasn't wise to use a gun in such close quarters and took out her knife. It was then she felt herself being lifted from behind and body slammed to the floor. The wind was knocked out of her. She grimaced in pain as she turned to see the 6ft Wayne towering over her, a smug smile on his face. He stomped on her stomach. Sasha cried out and rolled on her side. Wayne then kicked her in the back..twice. Sasha couldn't breathe. He roughly rolled her on back, bending over her.

Sasha saw an opportunity and swung her knife at his face. He countered but not quickly enough...she cut him deep in his face.

"You bitch!"

He stomped on her stomach again. Sasha sucked in breath. He kicked the knife away from her hand and grabbing her by the neck, dragged her into a standing position.

"Oh Sasha baby…"

She spat in his face. He shoves her back into the kitchen counter..slamming her head into it. Then he started to squeeze her neck. She clawed at him..at his hands trying to breathe.

"Dont worry..I'm not going to kill you..you're one of the five...too important to kill. However, they didn't say I can't rough you up a little."

With his free hand, he slide it down her waist and cupped her crutch. He squeezed. "It's a pity though..all these rules we have to follow. I sure would have liked to get a taste of what Abraham is getting all this while."

He paused with a thought.

"Maybe I should just kill your kid and take you somewhere where we could have real fun..damn the rules."

As the last word left his lips Wayne realised he made a terrible mistake as he saw Sasha's eyes widened. Sasha mustered all the strength she had and headbutt Wayne dead centre in his face. Shocked...Wayne fell back, releasing the grip on Sasha's throat. She kicked him in the stomach and as he went down she kicked him again at the side of his head.

Wayne was on all fours now, trying to catch his breath and trying profusely to stop bleeding from his nose. Sasha reached out over the counter and pick up a kitchen knife from the holder.

"Hey asshole…"

As Wayne raised up to face Sasha, she plunged the knife deep in the top of his skull. She did it with such force that the handle broke off as Wayne slumped to the floor. Sasha then limped upstairs to her daughter.

At Carol's house Enid, Thom, Maya and Celeste each took up positions at different parts of the house.

"Dad and the others are on their way!"

Suddenly, there was a loud banging on the door.

"Let me in! They are killing everyone out here."

It was Ava.

Carl was hesitant but then opened the door as Ava fell inside. Maggie rushed to pick her up. As she saw Maggie approaching her, Ava sprinted up, grabbed Maggie towards her, pulled out a gun and held of towards Maggie's head.

"Nobody moves!"

Ava then pulled out a walkie talkie.

"Hello? Anyone here? I got one...what's the status on the others?"

A voice answered.

"Jerry and Sam are dead! This was a mistake...we moved to soon. There's gonna be hell to pay if we don't contain this…"

Ava chuckled

"Well I did my part. If you guys can't…."

Ava didn't finish her sentence as a single shot rang out. As she slumped to the ground, Carl, Maggie and Carol turned to face Enid who calmly lowered her weapon.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: "Point of View" Part 2**

Daryl and Rosita was clearing a cluster of walkers near the fence of one their safe houses when they heard the gunshots. She turned to him.

"Was that home?!"

Daryl turned to her.

"Come on..let's go!"

They began running through the forest towards home when Rosita caught movement out of the corner of her left side. She stopped and looked in that direction. The sun was creeping in between the trees. Daryl looked in the same direction.

"What? You see something?"

"Yes..we're not alone."

Daryl raised his crossbow, aiming in the direction of the trees. Rosita also raised her gun. They then stood back to back, slowly moving around in a circle, surveying their surroundings.

"Are you sure? I don't see nothing."

"I'm sure."

They heard more shots ring out in the direction of home.

"Shit! We can't deal with this right now. Home need us."

They began running again when suddenly a man sprang out from behind a tree in front stopping them dead in their tracks.

"What's the rush?"

He grinned at them. He was almost 6ft tall, muscular with a large machete in his hand. Rosita turned in time to see a man charging at them from the left also armed with a machete at full speed. Rosita aimed and fired. The bullet hit him in the shoulder and stomach as he zig zag towards them but he didn't go down.

"What the.."

Daryl pushed her out of the way and met the man head on in the impending collision.

"Daryl!"

Rosita looked on in horror as Daryl and the man crashed into the dirt. She turned to face the other man who was slowly stalking towards her.

"It's just you and me now baby."

She raised her gun only to feel cold steel at the side of her temple.

"Hi..I'm Paula and I wanna play too." She laughed.. "Drop the gun bitch!"

Rosita compiled but when Paula bent down to retrieve it, Rosita pulled put a knife from her waist and aimed for Paula's head. The man grabbed her from behind, violently twisting her arm. She cried out. Paula sprang back up with the commotion. Realizing what Rosita tried to do, she became angry and punched her in the stomach and the side of her head. The man then forced her to face Daryl as he fought the crazed man. Daryl was on his back as the man tried to stab him. Freeing one of his hands, Daryl searched the forest floor for anything he could use. Soon his hand found a rock and with full force Daryl smashed it against the man's head. He fell to the side and Daryl quickly flipped over on the man and continued caving in the man's skull. Paula got impatient.

"This is bullshit!"

She raised her gun and shot Daryl in the leg.

"No!"

Michonne was anxious about what was going on outside. She could hear the gunshots..the screams. Judith had stop crying but she was still abit fussy. Then she heard whispering outside her bedroom window.

"You have her yet?"

Michonne crept to the bottom of the window and listened as the man talked into the walkie talkie.

"No...I'm at the house now, ready to go in."

"Good...she's the most important one. Once we have her, everyone will fall in line."

"You sure about that?"

"She's Rick's wife. And she's pregnant. It's perfect. Getting the other wives would have been good too but Wayne and Ava f*cked that up. Rick's wife is golden..the icing on the cake. We have her and it's game over."

"Yeah..his kid took out Sam.. He's really good with a gun."

"Sam's an idiot..tipping his hand like that so early. This was suppose to be quick, clean. He starts shooting up the place..the others had to follow his lead."

What about Paula? Orlando? What's their status?"

"Not sure."

"He was right..we're in over our heads with these people."

"The time for regret has past. Now get moving!"

"Copy that"

There was a pause..

"Mason….don't screw this up!"

Carl dashed out the door, gun in hand after he, Maggie, Carol and Enid heard the exchange over the Ava's walkie talkie. They were going after his mom…

Michonne couldn't comprehend what she just heard. Mason...he's apart of this? How could he? He has been with the group for almost two years! How is this possible? Michonne listened as footsteps entered her house. She soon heard the creaking of the stairs as Mason went upstairs. After a few moments she heard footsteps descend and went into the kitchen. Michonne grabbed her katana as she heard Mason approached her door. After a few minutes passed..Mason spoke first.

"I know you're in there...I searched the house and my people didn't see you leave since this whole thing started."

Michonne remained silent.

"Come on..this doesn't have to be hard. Our leader just wants this place..no one needs to get hurt. All he wants is for this community to work for him. You and the other wives will be taken care of..that's a promise."

Michonne still made no reply.

"Mrs Grimes…..Michonne.?"

Michonne began to panick as the silence began building between them.

"Ok...you want to play like that..I'm gonna count to three..if you don't open the door I will just have to break it down….1….2…"

Michonne plunged the katana through the door out towards the other side. She felt the sword connect with it's target. She twisted the blade. She hears the groan on the other side of the door. She shoved the blade further out..twisting the sword again. She saw the weight of the body fell against the door. After a few moments, she slowly withdrew her sword. She smiled when she saw it was covered in blood.

Carl had just rushed into the house in time to see Mason's body slumping to the floor.

"Mom!"

He began banging on the door.

"Mom!

Judith began to cry.

"I'm alright!"

She opened the door to a very relieved Carl. He rushed and hugged her then picked up his crying sister.

"Is it over? Where's you father?"

Michonne saw the pained expression on his face.

"Carl!" Rick screamed into the walkie talkie as their truck raced towards Alexandria.

"We should get off the road. Pass through the forest and assess what we are dealing with." Glen suggested.

"Carl!"

"He's right." Abe said, looking back at a frustrated Rick.

"Fine!" He barked. Glen veered off the road and headed to one of the safe houses."

Daryl and Rosita was tied up at opposite ends of the living room at one of their safe houses. Paula spoke first to break the silence.

"You guys have a nice setup here. It's cozy." Neither Daryl or Rosita replied. " What? You don't feel like talking?"

She walked over and straddled Daryl's lap, grinning over at Rosita and then facing Daryl again.

"I have been watching you for awhile now…" Paula ran her hand through Daryl's wet hair. "Sure Rick and the others are cute but there's something about you.." She made an attempt to kiss him but he pulled away. It was Orlando who spoke now.

"Hey! Don't be rude!"

Paula turned to face Orlando,

"Thanks but I got this….why don't you get to know our friend a little better?"

She nodded in Rosita's direction.

"Hmmm..I would like that but the rules."

"Rules rules..whose gonna know?"

Orlando smiled wolvishly at Rosita.

"Good point...it's not like he's gonna check her."

Orlando got up and began walking towards Rosita. Daryl just lost it. He rose to his feet, knocking Paula on the floor and he charged at Orlando. But he wasn't as quick as he thought due to the bullet in his leg and he collected a hard right hand from Orlando. He landed heavily on the cold, hard floor. He then started kicking Daryl all over his body

"No!"

Rosita sprang up and ran towards Daryl but Orlando caught her midway. He lifted her up and threw her over his shoulder. He looked over at Paula who was already on her feet.

"See you in an hour."

"Dont you touch her!" Daryl screamed.

"Daryl!" Rosita cried as he disappeared from her sight.

Orlando dropped Rosita on one of the beds in the room. He reached down to pry her legs apart but she kicked him in the face. He spat blood to the side.

"You are a bad girl. You need to be punished."

He grabbed one of her legs and dragged her to the end of the bed. Then he hit her hard across the face, twice. Rosita whimpered. He ripped open her shirt. Daryl heard the slaps and Rosita's whimper. He tried to get up but Paula knelt down on him and pressed her gun in the bullet wound in his leg. He grimaced.

"Rosita!"

"Hey..she'll be fine. She might not be the same woman you married when he's done with her but…" Paula shrugged her shoulders.

"Rosita!"

Rick, Abe and Glen was almost to the safe house when they heard Daryl's voice screaming out Rosita's name. They docked down behind some trees only to hear Rosita began screaming. They slowly sneaked up...Abe heading to the window of Rosita's screams and Rick and Glen went to the front.

Abe peeped into the window and instantly saw red. Rosita's hands was tied behind her back and a man was holding her down by her neck. She was clad only in her underwear and the man was climbing on top of her. In a fit of rage, Abe ran to the back door and in one monster kick he broke it down. He rushed in and charged at the man who stared at him in shock.

They both tumbled to the ground. Rosita was sobbing uncontrollably. Paula heard the raucous and stood up. At that same moment the front door flew open and the last thing she felt was a gun butt crashing into her temple. Rick cut Daryl 's hands free and he hobbled towards the room. There Abe was punching Orlando over and over.

Looking at his wife on the bed, violated..Daryl raise his gun and pulled the trigger. The bullet struck Orlando in his right leg. He cried out. Daryl aimed the gun to his head and was about to pull the trigger again when Glen stopped him.

"Daryl dont! We need them! We need to know what's going on! To know what they know."

Daryl hands trembled as the gun fell to the floor. He then went over and comforted his wife.

Rick was looking down at the unconscious woman as Abe and Glen tied up the man when the walkie talkie began to crackle.

"Carl! Are you there?!"

"Yes dad! Where are you?!"

"Close."

"Hurry! You need to come home!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: "No Answers"**

Jack was at the guard tower when he saw the truck racing towards Alexandria.

"Open the gate! They're back!"

Andy opened the gates as Glen drove in. The Alexandrians who survived was crowding in the street. The smell of desperation and confusion filled the air. Abe and Glen jumped out, went around the back and brought out Orlando and a now conscious Paula.

Daryl and Rick came out.

"I'm taking Rosita to get checked out. Need me to check on Michonne?"

Rick nodded then whispered to him.

"Check on the others as well."

Daryl nodded, lifting up Rosita and walked away. As Rick walked towards the panic citizens, they began crowding him, hitting him with questions from all directions.

"What are we gonna do?" One person asked

"Are we still safe here?" Said another.

"Do you think they will be coming back?"

The questions came at Rick fast and furious. He scanned the crowd.

"Ok..I need everyone to gather at the church for a meeting in one hour. We will discuss matters then."

The crowd slowly disbursed and he saw Tobin and Brad dragging Ethan and another unidentified man towards him. They were tied up. They placed the men to kneel in front of Rick.

"What's this?"

"Ethan let this prick in through the east gate...then they tried to run when they realized things was not going as they expected."

Rick glared at Ethan who was expressionless.

"Rick…"

He looked up and saw the sadness in Brad's face.

"What?"

"They killed Melissa's husband and her two girls."

Rick looked at the men on their knees. The unidentified man smirked at Rick. In response, Rick kneeled down in front of him.

"You think this is funny?"

Without warning Rick pulled out a red handle machete and in one swoop chopped the man in his neck..almost severing it.

"Oh God!" Ethan screamed as Rick's victim fell towards him..blood pitching everywhere. Rick stood up and turned to Ethan.

"Rick...please!"

Rick was stoned faced.

"Do _you_ think this is funny?"

"Rick...please! Don't kill me!"

Rick glanced at the man bleeding out on the ground next to them..his own face covered in blood.

"I'm not gonna kill you….not yet anyway."

"Rick!"

He ignored the man's pleas. He gestured to Abe.

"You know where to put them."

Rick watched as all three prisoners was carted off. He looked around at the now emptied street and saw Carl standing there in the distance. He briskly walked up to him and they hugged tightly.

"How did this happen?"

They began walking towards home.

"I don't know. The shooting just started...the screaming..panicking. I made sure Mom and Judith was safe. Then Sam tried to kill me. I took him out. Sasha took out Jerry at the guard tower. Wayne roughed her pretty good but…"

"What?!"

"She's alright...she took him out too. Enid shot Ava...she's dead."

"Enid?" Rick asked...quite surprised.

Carl grinned with pride.

"Yeah….she's pretty badass now."

"I thought she doesn't like guns?"

"She still don't. Prefer knives but at the time..a gun was the best option. Ava had a gun to Maggie's head."

Rick nodded in agreement. They finally reached home when Rick saw Michonne standing in the middle of the living room, her hand ever so protective on her tummy..watching Judith playing. He never felt so much relief.

After securing the prisoners, Abe raced home. His heart stopped when he saw the front door to their home wide open.

"Sasha!"

There was no response. On entering he saw Wayne's body on the floor and that there was signs of a struggle.

"Sasha!"

Abe ran through the house in a heightened state when he heard slight movement upstairs. He cautiously went up. At the top, he paused to zone in exactly where the noise was emanating from. He breathed a sigh of relief when it came from the safety room. He listened joyfully as his daughter cooed inside without a care in the world. He also heard Sasha humming. He knocked.

"Babe...it's me. You can come out. Its safe."

Inside the room, Sasha ignored her husband words. She sat on the floor looking deep into Robyn's big, beautiful hazel eyes, her silent tears caressed the baby's face. She quietly hummed. He knocked again. She continued humming and rocking her child.

"Sasha! Everything is alright. Let me in."

Sasha closed her eyes, trying to block everything out. Abe was now banging on the door. He became worried. He ran downstairs, got a large carving knife and raced back upstairs. He desperately tries to jimmy the locks but soon got frustrated. He started banging on the door more furiously and Robyn began to cry.

"Open the door!"

Robyn's cries snapped Sasha back to reality. Slowly she got up and walked to the door, opening it. Abe rushed towards her. He cupped her face in his hands..

"Oh God! Are you alright?! Are you hurt?!"

He was almost screaming at her. She limply gave Robyn to Abe and walked back in the corner of the room. Robyn was happy to see her father and she began cooing again. Abe put her down in the crib and walked over to his wife.

She was just standing...looking out the window, dazed. He turned her around to face him...her eyes were vacant and void of emotion.

"Sasha?"

Abe was speaking softly now..

"Talk to me baby. Are you hurt?"

Sasha opened her mouth to answer but no words came out. Abe stooped down and began checking her body and was horrified by the large black bruises he found on her caramel brown skin. Then he saw the blood on her legs. Abe looked up at her.

"Sas?"

As if one queue, Sasha finally spoke.

"The baby…"

She then collapsed in his arms.

Glen couldn't reach home fast enough to get to his family. He decided to check at Carol's first and sure enough Maggie and Elsa was there. Maggie immediately started to fuss over him and after a while was able to assure her that he was fine. Enid and Tobin was in the kitchen doing a headcount of all the ammo left.

"Rick called a meeting at the church. We need to be there. All of us."

Maggie seemed worried.

"Are we sure the threat is over? Because if it's not...all of us in one location is not a good thing."

Glen nodded in agreement. Tobin then made a suggestion.

"I think Rick and Maggie should talk to the residents. They are scared and just need some reassurances that we will be OK. We don't know anything for sure until we talk to the prisoners so there is nothing much we could tell them anyway."

"Sounds like a plan."

"In the meantime, some of us boys will hold down the fort."

Maggie kissed her husband and headed out to find Rick.

Carl looked on in amusement as his parents fuss over each other. His mother was sitting on the sofa with his dad on his knees in front of her. After the fourth or fifth kiss..since he lost count..he asked if she was alright again.

"For the tenth time… _Yes!"_

Previously, Carl would have cringed and fled the room at such displays of affection between his parents but now that he and Enid are dating, he understands the need to reassure the people you love. Judith, obviously tired of it climbed between them. Maggie walked in.

"Am I interrupting?"

Rick answered first.

"Yes!" jokingly.

"No." Michonne pinched Rick's cheek. Maggie laughed.

"It's time for the meeting. Tobin suggested only us two should go..just to calm the people until we know more."

"That's good."

Rick kissed his wife and kids and left.

When they arrived at the church..it was abuzz with chatter. Maggie took a seat at the front facing the fill pews and Rick stood erect in front of them. Everyone was quiet.

"Here's what we know. This was a coordinated attack on us. We don't who they are or why they attacked us...but we are going to find out."

"How?"

"We have three of them in our custody. One them is one of us...Ethan."

They all began to speak at once.

"I saw Wayne kill Mrs C."

"Sam tried to kill Carl."

Rick raised his hand and everyone became quiet again.

"It appears that some of us have been working with these people behind our backs."

The Alexandrians now began to look at each, questioningly.

"We don't know for sure but I will find out..I promise. Everyone..go to your homes...and stay alert. Anything suspicious, come to me, Maggie and Glen or any of the other council members."

The attendees began leaving the church. The only person who remained seated was Melissa..her shirt still stained with her family's blood. Maggie was already on her feet approaching her.

Rick arrived at Abe's house to find him pacing furiously downstairs.

"Sasha just collapsed. Dr Bryce is with her now."

He has never seen Abe so worried.

"Ok..I will talk to you later."

Rick was out the door as Dr Bryce descended the stairs.

Rick walked towards home alone. The sun was burning hot now..sweat sliding down his back. The day was eventful...maybe a little too eventful..but most of them had made it. He heard his name so he turned around and saw Daryl running to meet him.

"How's Rosita?"

"Badly twisted arm...nothing is broken. She's still shaken by other things though. How did the meeting go?"

"Everyone's afraid but they are tough. We are. Going to the cells now to have a chat with our unwanted guests. We need to know what's going on."

"I'll come with."

When they arrived at the cell, Paula, Orlando and Ethan all took separate corners.

"Who are you people?"

It was Paula who spoke first.

"We are no one and everyone."

Rick squinted his eyes at her. _This isn't going to be easy..._ he thought. Orlando was staring pointedly at Daryl.

"How's the wife?"

Darly clenched his fast...Rick put his hand on his shoulder to calm him down. There will be time for retribution later.

"Hope I didn't hurt her too badly. Me and her are going to pick up right where we left off before you clowns interrupted."

Suddenly, his eyes widened, his mouth opened in shock. Rick and Daryl turned in time to see Rosita standing behind them, gun raised. Before they could react, Rosita pulled the trigger..four times..

"Sweet Jesus!" Ethan cried as he cowered in the corner. Paula let out a small chuckle.

"Bitch got some ball on her."

Rosita then turned her gun on Paula. Daryl stepped between Paula and the gun.

"Easy..we need them to talk."

Rosita kept her eyes fixed on Paula who blew her a kiss.

"We should kill them all...now."

She handed her gun to Daryl and walked out.

"They're not gonna talk."

Rick kept his eyes fixed on Paula.

"Oh...they will talk..sooner or later."

Rick shook his head in disgust at Ethan. He had wet himself.

The day had passed quickly and Rick welcomed it. He wanted to forget the day that he almost lost everything...again. His family, his friends, his home. But this threat was different. It is no longer the threat of walkers that concerns him. It was people..they are the biggest threat now.

Rick walked out side, deciding to do a solo patrol of the grounds. Everyone was inside and it was nice and quiet. The bodies have been cleared off the street and disposed of. After fifteen minutes, he was walking up the driveway to his home. Michonne was at the back porch waiting for him. She waved.

As he turned around to do one last visual sweep of his home, he felt a sharp, burning pain in his shoulder. He staggered and fell back. Dazed..he touched his shoulder. It was wet..thick..it was blood. He gasped as he turned around. He grabbed his shoulder and realized that there was an exit wound.

This realization made his heart sank..he slowly looked up and saw her...Michonne lying on the ground…..her own blood pooling around her.

"No!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: "Shattered"**

Abe watched anxiously as the Dr walked downstairs. He noticed the sadness on his face. Dr Bryce suggested that Abe take a seat but he refused.

"I'm no psychiatrist but I think Sasha is in shock. She is aware of her surroundings but she is just not connecting to it. But there's something else."

Abe stared at him intensely.

"She also had a miscarriage."

The Dr watched as Abe's face registered shock at the news of a baby.

"You didn't know she was pregnant..did you?"

Abe walked to the kitchen and gripped the edge of the counter. In a sudden fit of rage, he picked up a chair and threw it the length of the kitchen. He walked back to the Dr.

"What can I do to help her?"

It was then a single gunshot pierced the evening solace.

Daryl just walked into his home with his son Caleb. Rosita was anxiously waiting and as soon as he entered she began smothering him with gentle kisses as he was asleep. With her left arm being in a sling, she used her right to part his adorable long black hair from his face.

"He needs a haircut..soon"

"No way." Daryl whispered.

"Look at him..he's not even a year old and he has a full head of hair."

She ruffled Daryl's own hair.

"Don't need two of you."

"Too late for that."

Caleb had his mother's rosy complexion but Daryl's eyes, nose and chin...plus lots of hair. He's perfect. After a few minutes admiring their creation..Daryl asked the question that they both know is hanging between them.

"Are we gonna talk about it?

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I am fine. Nothing happened. Everything worked out."

"Yeah...because Rick showed up. If they didn't…"

His voice trailed off. Rosita could hear the hurt in his voice. Daryl always prided himself of protecting the people he loved and he now feel he failed her. She did her best to reassure him.

"Look at me."

He did.

"Have you ever failed me?"

"No...not until now."

"You didn't...and you never will."

She caressed his face and he kissed the palm of her hand.

"This isn't about me….how are you feeling? Really feeling?"

Suddenly a single shot rang out.

Enid was feeding Elsa in the kitchen when Glen approached her. Maggie was taking a shower.

"I wanted to thank you….for saving Maggie's life. I don't know what I would have done if…."

Glen's voice began to choke up thinking about what could have been. Enid smiled and hugged him.

"You don't have to thank me..we're family. We protect each other."

She laughed.

"You should be thanking Carl. He insisted I learned to use a gun. I still don't like them..but from now on I'll be keeping one on me at all times."

"Still...thank you."

Enid nodded. Glen was halfway up the stairs when the shot was heard.

Carol was at home checking the supplies of the community. She made note about the things that they needed...eggs, milk, butter, tomato, meat. They had enough grain to last them for a couple of months. Given all that has happen..she doubt supplies will be restocked anytime soon. Each household will have to manage what they've got for now. Tobin was at the window, binoculars in hand. He was scouting the wall perimeter looking for any breaches. He saw rick walked passed a few minutes earlier and voiced his concern to Carol.

"He shouldn't be out there."

"Who?"

"Rick...he's out there….alone...patrolling. Some of us should be out there with him."

"Rick has his own way of doing things. He will not put anyone in danger. He needs to satisfy himself that we are all safe. It's just a precaution."

"Still..one of us should be there with him."

"You still think we are in danger?"

"From what happened today, we were never out of it."

A few minutes passed as Carol finished her inventory.

"I'm going outside."

"Don't! You just said we aren't safe!"

"Dont worry! I'm just going on the porch and I'll take off the lights...I'll be in stealth mode."

Before Carol could object again..Tobin quickly exited.

Tobin was on the porch in the dark for a few minutes when Rick came walking by from his patrol.

"Need some company securing things?"

Rick briefly looked around.

"Nah. Everything looks quiet...for now. So everyone need to stay indoors. No moving about until further notice."

"After the meeting Carol gave each house a walkie talkie. She has been checking in with everyone on the hour. There wasn't enough to go around though so some families come together to stay in the bigger houses."

Rick nodded.

"How's Michonne?"

"Safe….thank god for that."

Tobin smiled in agreement.

"It could have been worst." Tobin observed.

"Yes...it could have."

A moment of silence passed between the two men.

"Well.. I'm gonna be heading back. Have a good night."

Rick began walking away and Tobin resumed his surveillance of the walls.

Rick quickly walked past the houses in the community and made a mental note of the residents that didn't make it….Melissa's husband Colin and their two daughters Lydia and Ann, Mrs C, Will, Tamara, Anthony, Camille and Ivan. Nine lives lost...because we became complacent...lazy. We thought we were safe. Not anymore. Never again.

Tobin was doing his third sweep of the east side of the wall when something in the trees caught his attention. His first instinct was that it was nothing but his gut forced him to keep looking. A sudden gust of strong breeze pushing against the cluster of trees caused him to start running down the street in a panic.

The man has been in the shadow of the trees when the ambush started in Alexandria. He saw they had captured Paula and Orlando. He saw when Rick took a machete to Chad's neck. He also saw that they discovered Ethan as well. Although his plan was screwed he refused to be defeated. He certainly can't go back home after this. So he stayed in his position, stewing in his own sweat and piss, partly for fear of being seen in all the commotion and also hell bent on giving a final ' _f*ck you'_ to Alexandria before his self imposed exile. And sure enough, the perfect opportunity just presented itself. He raised his gun and looked into the scope. Then talked into the walkie talkie.

"You there?"

There was no answer.

"I know you are there you prick!"

"What do you want?! I am done..you hear! I am done!"

The man laughed.

"It seems like we're the only ones standing."

"F*ck you! I was never apart of this! I am not here by choice!"

"It doesn't matter now. I can't go back home. Neither can you. You can keep this place. Just wanted to say goodbye."

There was a pause.

"Just like that you're gonna walk away. What's the catch?"

"Bye."

Then a shot echoed over the walkie talkie.

"No!"

Rick heard himself screaming and didn't recognised his own voice. He picked himself up ungainly at first holding his injured bleeding shoulder. He began running up the driveway to his house.

"Michonne!"

In seconds, Rick was at her side on the ground, where she fell, halfway through the doorway of the porch leading to the kitchen. He watched mortified as her blood slowly drained from her body.

"No no no no no..please god..No!"

Carl heard his cries and was downstairs.

"Mom!"

Carl saw his father desperately trying to stop the bleeding from the right side of Michonne's body.

"Dad! What happened?!"

"It went through me and hit her!"

This didn't make any sense to Carl.

"What?"

Then Rick screamed.

"The bullet went through me and hit her! Oh god!"

Carl then noticed the blood running down Rick's shoulder, mingling with his mom's blood.

"There is someone in the trees!" Tobin shouted. He had just arrived.

"Where?" Abe asked. He and Glen just arrived. Tobin pointed in the direction of the east gate just in time to see the shadowy figure leaped to the ground. Tobin, Abe and Glen took off running.

Get Dr Bryce! Denise...now!"

"I'm here! I'm here!"

Dr Bryce was already pushing Rick aside to examine Michonne. He gave her one quick look over.

"We needs to get her inside now! The infirmary is too far..I need to operate now! Carl ...get Denise. She needs to do an emergency c-section! I'll guide her!"

Carl took off running to Denise house while Rick and the Dr carry Michonne inside. Rick saw the large pool of blood where Michonne fell.

"Oh God!"

"Rick! I need you! Don't panic now!"

Rick nodded absent-mindedly. After putting Michonne on the dining table, he ripped open her blouse to reveal the bullet wound above her right breast. He ran to the kitchen, grabbed a towel and places it over the wound. Rick stood at Michonne's head..his forehead touching hers...he prayed.

"Please please please please god! Don't do this! Please! I'll give anything! Please!"

"Rick..hold this!"

Bryce barked at him.

"We needs to apply pressure to stop the bleeding!"

Rick did as he was told. Soon, Denise ran through the door, followed by Carl, Enid and Carol.

"I'm here! Tell me what to do!"

"What the hell happened?"

Rick didn't respond as he tries to block out everything. He only wanted to think about Michonne. He remembered the first time he saw her at the prison fence, the first time he realized he love her, the first person he told that he loved her, the first time they kissed, the first time they made love, he remembered their wedding night and when they found about the twins. It can't end like this...he screamed in his head. Carol questioned Carl. He was looking at Dr Bryce working to stop the bleeding.

"Carl!"

Carl snapped out of his daze.

"Someone tries to kill dad. The bullet passed through his shoulder and hit mom. It came from the trees along the east gate. Abe, Tobin and Glen went after them."

They all turned to the living room and held their breath when Dr Bryce screamed.

"No Michonne! Stay with me!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: "The Longest Night" Part 1**

Carl, Rick, Carol and Enid looked on as Dr Bryce and Denise work to stabilize Michonne. Denise listened closely, monitoring the babies.

"They are in distress! We need to get them out!"

Rick covered his mouth, trying not to puke.

"Save them please!" Carl cried.

Enid hugged him tightly as he buried his face in the cut of her neck.

"What's going on?! Talk to me!"

It was Maggie over the walkie talkie. She has been keeping an eye on Sasha and Robyn since Abe left. Caleb was also with her. Daryl and Rosita rushed into the house. They stood there in shock as the scene unfolded in front of them.

"What do you need us to do?!" Rosita asked.

"We have to deliver these babies. I need you to wash your hands, dry them. Don't touch anything! Enid, I need you to do the same."

Both women sprang into action.

"Daryl, I need you to bring the baby monitor from the infirmary here..now!"

Daryl darted out the door.

"Rick..Carl! You two have the most important job. I need you to hold Michonne's hand. I know she's somewhere in there fighting to come back you. She needs a little help! OK!"

Rick and Carl walked over when Dr Bryce cried out.

"I can't find the bullet! Shit!"

Then he paused.

"Wait…"

He put his hand under Michonne's back. A glimmer of hope shined in his eyes.

"Rick...help me turn her over on her side! When they did, Bryce vigorously feel around and finally found what he was looking for.

"The bullet almost went straight through! This is good!"

Daryl was back with the monitor.

Bryce! I need to do this now!"

"Just a second!"

In one fluid motion the Dr cut and extracted the bullet.

"Done!"

Michonne was on her back again and Denise began the c-section immediately. Enid stood on her left, Rosita on her right. Rick and Carl started comforting Michonne, letting her know how much they loved and needed her and that she can't leave them.

"Carol..I need you to wash your hands and find me some clean towels. Spread them over Rosita's and Enid's hands."

Carol moved quicker than she thought she could. She put the first towel on Enid's hands just in time as Denise delivered the first baby..a boy. Seconds later, she placed the girl in Rosita's hands. As if on cue, both babies began to cry simultaneously. It was loud and strong. Both Rick and Carl jerked up. Denise gave the babies a quick once over and instructed Rosita and Enid to take the babies to the nearest room. Rick looked at her puzzled.

"They are fine...you need to stay here with Michonne. I'll take care of the twins...stay here.."

Denise disappeared behind Rosita and Enid into the room with Daryl pushing the monitor in tow. After stitching up the bullet wound and determining that it was no longer a threat, Dr Bryce began working to close the c-section cut. It was the longest 10 minutes of his life.

Both Carl and Rick squeezed Michonne's hand but they got no reply.

After stitching up the wound, Bryce began cleaning up as much of the blood as possible. When he was finished, he took a step back. He was pleased. He check Michonne's vitals once more.

"She lost a lot of blood but she's going to make it."

"How long will she be unconscious?" Carl asked

"I don't know, but she is stable. That's the best news we could hope for right now."

Carol hugged Rick from behind.

"She's gonna make."

After a few minutes..they heard the babies cry again.

"May I?"

Rick asked Dr Bryce gesturing at the room. The Dr smiled.

"Sure..I'll stay here with Michonne…. Congratulations."

Rick nodded to Carl for them to go but he declined.

"You first dad...I think I'm gonna stay here a little while longer."

Rick smiled, kisses Michonne's forehead and walked to the room. He was standing there as the door sheepishly for a good 5mins taking in the flurry of activities in the room. The babies were on the bed, clean and wrapped in thick towels. His heart sang silently in his chest. Michonne's alive…the babies are alive and healthy.

Enid and Rosita had already taken up aunty duties..cooing at them as Denise continuously checked on their health. Daryl was standing in the corner...in his protective stance..watching everything. It was Daryl who saw Rick first.

"Hey.."

He walked over to Rick.

"Congratulations man…..they're beautiful."

"Thanks." Rick whispered hoarsely. They embraced.

"They're so cute."

Enid said as they left the room, one by one. Denise was the last one to leave. Rick hugged her tightly..in tears.

"Thank you!" Rick sobbed. "Thank you!"

Denise was in tears too.

"Just glad I can help."

She wiped her eyes.

"Go on now! We've kept you long enough."

She quickly left the room before she started crying again. Rick slowly step forward. He pulled a nearby chair to the edge of the bed. He looked down at them….they looked up at him..their tiny arms reaching up in the air.

"Hi."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: "The Longest Night" Part 2**

Rick looked down at the youngest and newest addition to his family. They are identical twins but are different in many ways. They have the same face with their mother's almond shape eyes, large and bright but the girl's eyes are blue while the boy's eyes are brown. They have large jet black curls on their head. Their skin is cream in colour...with a touch of brown. They have his nose and their mother's bright, infectious smile. They are perfect. He reached out and they grabbed his hand.*******************

Maggie watched Sasha with sadness in her heart. She can't imagine what Sasha went through. She cried for the lost of her unborn child as well as the threat of death to her living one. She had never been so afraid in her life. Dr Bryce encourged her to write down all her feelings and leave it for Abe to read when he got back which she did. Maggie read the letter while Sasha slept. Glen would be pissed.

"Michonne made it through surgery."

It was Carol on the walkie talkie. Maggie left the room so as to not disturb Sasha's rest.

"And the twins?"

"They made it too..thank God. Rick's with them now. Rosita and Enid can't wait to get their hands on them again. They breathe new life into this place despite all the shit that just went down."

"Is Glen and the others back yet?"

"No...but I doubt they will find anything. The night has already stepped in."

There was a slight pause.

"We can't trust anyone here anymore. Any of the Alexandrians."

"Not even Tobin?" Maggie asked.

"As of right now...he's one of them."***************************************************

Rick briefly left his newborns for Denise to patch up his shoulder.

It was dark when Abe, Glen and Tobin returned to Alexandria. They went straight to Rick's house. Carol was cleaning up blood from the surgery. Michonne was carefully moved to another room in the house. The three men stood looking at Carol, neither one of them knowing what to say..what to ask. She saw the fear in their faces.

"She's alive. They had to do surgery to take out the bullet. She lost a lot of blood so she's still unconscious."

She saw the hesitation and knew what else they want to ask.

"They are fine...healthy."

She looked towards the room and saw that they breathe a sigh of relief. Softly, they approached the room, careful not to make a ruckus in case the babies were napping. There, they saw Rick, kneeling at the foot of the bed playing with his little ones. Abe grabbed Glen and gave him a huge bear hug. Glen gasped for breath which caught Rick's attention.

"Sorry to interrupt."

It was Tobin apologizing on behalf of Abe's behaviour.

"It's alright."

He called them into the room.

"Wow." Abe gasped

Rick smiled at the babies.

"I thought I was going to lose them….lose her."

"We are survivors Rick." Glen assured him.

Rick face got serious.

"Any news?"

Abe gestured for Rick to come outside.

"Don't want to discuss such unpleasantness around those two miracles. Too early for that."

Rick kissed them and left the room, which Rosita and Enid were all too happy to accommodate. They rushed in. They went upstairs to talk. It was Glen who spoke first.

"First things first….is Michonne OK."

"Yeah….for now. I just want her to wake up. She should be sharing this happiness with me."

There was awkward silence as neither men wanted to deliver the bad news. Rick sensed this.

"Give it to me straight."

"We lost him in the woods. We thought we would catch him before the night rolled in. We tracked him as far as we could but we didn't have our gear so we didn't want to stray too far away from home….just in case anything else pop off."

Rick remained expressionless. It was Glen who spoke now.

"One things for sure….he was working with someone else in the community and I am not talking about those assholes we have locked up. There are some people here...in Alexandria who are still threats. Threats we need to eliminate."

"I agree."

Rick headed out the house...Abe, Glen and Tobin followed. **********************

Ethan woke to the feeling of cold water on him. He got up startled. Rick, Abe, Glen and Tobin was standing silently in front the cells staring at him. Rick's shirt was covered in blood. Paula was observing the scene, slightly amused. She saw Rick's death stare and glad she's not on the receiving end of it.

"Do you know whose blood is this?"

Ethan shook his head meekly.

"One of your people shot my wife…my pregnant wife." Rick was calm..too calm.

Ethan eyes widen as Rick pulled out the machete he used on Chad earlier.

"Do you have something to tell me?"

"Rick please." Ethan whimpered.

Not taking his eyes off Ethan, Rick nodded and Abe opened the cell gate. Fearing he will meet the same fate as Chad, Ethan decided his only option was to talk.

"Ok! I'll talk!"

Paula slowly shook her head.

"No you wouldn't." She said softly

Before they could react, Paula grabbed the back of Ethan's head and pulled it back. She then sank her teeth deep in the center of Ethan's throat.

"What the crud!" Abe exclaimed as he and Glen tried to pull Paula off Ethan. She let out a small chuckle in her throat and dug in her teeth further, blood filling her mouth and spilling over on the cell floor. Ethan's only made gurgling noises.

Rick gave them the break they needed. He punched Paula hard in her ribs. She immediately let go of Ethan's throat to suck air into her lungs. She fell to the ground. Rick looked at Ethan...his only lead to get answers...dying in front of him. He clenched his jaw in blind rage. He punched Paula again. He raise the machete to end her when Abe and Tobin grabbed and dragged him out of the cell.

"Not like this!"

They struggled to contain Rick's unbridled rage that was now unleashed.

"Rick!"

Paula was half laughing at them and holding her side because of the pain. Seeing that Paula's laughter was enraging Rick more, Glen punched her hard in the side of her head knocking her out.***********************************************************************

After Tobin bid them goodnight Abe, Rick and Glen gathered at Daryl's house. He was alone. It's time to talk business.

"We can't trust anyone here. As far as I am concern they are all dangerous. We dont know how these people got in."

"Yeah we do." Daryl interjected. "Except for the woman and the guy whose head you took off...all those people who attack us were brought in by me and Aaron when we were recruiting...I am sorry Rick."

"You didn't do this Daryl. It's not on you. That brings me to my decision. We are done recruiting. From now on, anyone comes to our gates get turned away. No exceptions."

They all nodded in agreement.

"They were communicating through walkie talkies. I found this on the ground near the trees where they shot you and..." Abe didn't continue talking but put a walkie talkie on the table.

"That brings me to me next issue. We will be conducting random home searches from tomorrow. No walkie talkies for anyone. We interview everybody."

"That's not going to go down well with some people."

"I don't give a f*ck what they want! It's my way until the traitors are found."

"What about the woman?"

Rick grinned wickedly.

"Oh...I have special plans to her."****************************************

Rick arrived home exhausted. Carl was in the room bonding with his new siblings. Enid offered to spend the night which Carl graciously accepted. They decided to sleep on the twins room. Denise was already upstairs sleeping. She too was staying the night in case of an emergency. Rick walked into Michonne's room and lay down on the bed next to her.

"We are going to find who did this to you Michonne...I promise you."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: "Distance Between"**

Abe arrives home to meet it in complete darkness. He had a long, stressful day. He was angry at himself for not catching the prick in the trees who shot rick and Michonne and jeopardizing the twins. Alexandria would have been burnt to ground if Michonne or the twins didn't survive, that's for sure.

He knows Rick loves them all but he is most protective of Michonne and his children and anyone who messes with that usually end up pushing up dirt somewhere. He was glad Maggie took Robyn for the night giving him time to unwind. ' _You and Sasha need to talk..'_ Maggie said.

He fumbled around the kitchen in the darkness. He picked up an apple and bit into it. He realized that he wasn't hungry after all. He grudgingly swallowed and put the rest back on the counter. He quickly went upstairs and sneaked into the small half bath at the end of the hall. He took a quick shower and walked buck naked back to his and Sasha's room. Pulling on a boxers he effortlessly slid in bed next to Sasha.

Laying down next to Sasha, he didn't know what to do. Should he touch her? Hug her? Ask her if she wanted to talk? He stared at the back of her head for a couple of minutes unsure of what to do. He was upset about the loss but it's nothing compared to what his wife is going through. He turned to face the ceiling, hands clasped firmly behind his head.

Suddenly Sasha turned and her hand reached across his chest, holding him tightly, her head in the nape of his neck. Then he felt tears. It was warm. He pulled her closer without saying a word. He tried to fight back his own tears that was threatening to overwhelm him.

"I'm sorry." Sasha whispered through tears.

"You have nothing to be sorry about." Abe said hoarsely the tears determined to come through.

"I found out a few days ago. I was planning on telling you over a special late evening dinner."

Suddenly she started to cry openly.

"I had all these plans! What's the point of making plans?! She cried.

Abe didn't know what to say. He pulled her to lay on top on him. She obliged him. He let her cry into the safety of his chest. Suddenly she became angry. Reaching over him, she turned on the side lamp. The light hit her face. Her eyes was bloodshot from her sorrow.

"Promise me Abe… Promise me that we will find them! Promise me that we will gut them! Promise me that we will kill them all!"

"I promise."*****************************

Rick looked on with eagle eyes as Denise does her post check-up examination on Michonne who survived her first night since the surgery. She was still unconscious but her breathing was much, much stronger than before. It was a positive sign Denise said but she is still not out of the woods yet.

Rick had heard Denise get up several times during the night to check on Michonne, sometimes with Rick already being up checking on her as well. As she examined wife, Rick and Carl stood close by...Rick holding the girl and Carl holding the boy. He wanted them to be close to their mother hoping that she will hear their cries and come back to them. The twins needed her to come back.

Today was a big day for Rick….today is the day the hunt for the traitors within Alexandria begin. But first he needs the start with Paula. He has a special treat for her and Abe was gathering the tools needed to ensure he get answers. Because of the threat still present in Alexandria, movement is restricted for the general citizenry.

Rick and his people are now based in two main houses, his and Carol's because of their close proximity and location. Rosita and Sasha moved in at Carol's with their children before the crack of dawn. Judith is also at Carol's. Maggie has already moved in at Rick's for the care of the twins with Enid and Carl's assistance. Right now...it's safer in numbers.

Glen and Daryl are tasked with taking supplies to the residents only when it is absolutely necessary. Carol has already sent out an early morning walkie talkie message asking residents what they needed which she will itemized. Fortunately, they have only had to make the trek to three houses.

"It's time to feed them Rick."

It was Maggie. She held out her hand to take his infant daughter as Carl reluctantly handed over his baby brother to Enid. Both ladies disappeared into the room, baby formula in hand. Carl agreed to stand watch over Michonne while he and Abe strategize to deal with the Alexandrians.******************************

Abe looked at the instruments before him..pleased at its composition. He had a car battery which still has some juice, wire, rope, a large carving knife which Jesus left in Alexandria and a bucket, either to hold water or blood...Paula's choice. As ex military, Abe have seen a lot of sick shit and have been on the receiving end of some of those same said shit...the scars of his body as testament to it.

When he and Sasha first began dating...after they made love for the first time she became curious about his scars. They then made it their post coital ritual where she would try to guess where and how he got a scar and he would tell her where and when. Some of the stories horrified her.

When he was leaving home, Sasha beg him to be present for the interrogation but he refused saying that he what he was about to do to a woman is not fit for another woman to see. ' _I dont want those images floating around in your head…..the world is already f*cked up as it is….'_ Abe told her. Abe was glad she didn't fight him on the issue. As he was packing up to meet with Rick….the walkie talkie that they confiscated below the trees by the east gate lit up suddenly.

"Hey...are you there?"

The voice sounded weak...scared almost in a shirtless whisper. Abe grabbed the walkie talkie tightly in his hand. " Come on man..talk to me please!

There was a long pause..only the breathing of desperation on the other end from the spineless prick.

"I heard a shot...what did you do?"

More silence. The breathing became more ragged.

" Dwight!"******************************

After clearing out some walkers around a cluster of abandoned cars, Dwight quickly secured the perimeter with some wire and empty cans he found nearby. He was exhausted...exhausted from keeping vigil over the attack on Alexandria and running from Rick's people for most of the night.

As he ravished some food..he realised he hasn't eaten for almost two days. He was too excited to see his well laid out plan executed to eat, which quickly turned into frustration when he saw that the Alexandrians….more specifically Rick and his people was more than what they seem. After that...he lost his appetite.

He was even more frustrated that none of women in Rick's group was harmed as he wrongfully calculated that they would be the most vulnerable. In fact, they were as vicious and effective as the men. When Rick's men were pursuing him, he thought for sure he would have been caught and he probably would have if Daryl was with them.

They were so close to him that he was about to give up when they decides to head back home in case there was more trouble to come. But there was no trouble to come from him...he was done. He failed and failed miserably and now he can't go back home. He thought about his wife Misty back home. Atleast she is safe, safe from all this shit….even if it's in his leader's bed. He decided to get some rest before he push on into the world he must now survive in alone.***********************

Paula had a difficult night. Besides getting punched in the side and head, Ethan had turned and she had to fight him for a solid ten minutes before she could put him down. It was difficult given the lack of space she was confined to. Soon, Rick and Abe was standing in front of her cell.

"You pack a mean punch Rick.. So does the other guy."

Rick said nothing..

"So what do you have in store for me today?"

Rick smiled graciously. Without saying a word..Abe entered the cell and within a few minutes, and was hogged tied and being thrown over Abe's shoulders. Her eyes looked curiouly at Rick who only smirked at her. She was now worried. They carried her out into the open..the sunlight hitting her flush in her face.

She closed her eyes. Rick and Abe briskly walked across two streets to one of the now empty houses to the south side of Alexandria. It was in an ideal location...isolated. Once in the shade..Paula opened her eyes and did a quick scan of he community.

Not a soul was in sight….it looked deserted. As Abe opened the door, she looked at Rick who was standing directly behind them. She opened her mouth to scream for help but Rick anticipated this. He grabbed her by the throat and squeezed…..hard. He released a little for her to gasped two quick breaths and squeezed hard..again. He whispered in her ear..

"What's the rush...it's not time for screaming yet."

Abe opened the door and they went inside.*************

The house they chose had a basement..just perfect for their little party. Rick laid out all the tools on a small table at the back of the room. Paula lay on the ground on the centre of the small room. Abe pulled a chair to where she was and roughly pulled her to sit on it.

He untied her hands briefly to tie them to the chair. She saw an opportunity and made a grab for Abe's gun. Abe grabbed her hand and twisted it hard. She screamed out. Abe then tie the arm to the chair leg. ' _This guy has to be military.'_ Paula thought. The knots was good and tight. Abe stepped back as Rick walked forward and stooped down in front of her. His blue eyes stared deep into her grey ones.

"Whose Dwight?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: "Outside"**

Paula stiffened at Rick's question. Her eyes darted from him to Abe quickly. Then defiance came over her. She turned away.

"I'm not gonna ask again."

"F*ck you."

She didn't look at him. Rick chuckled.

"Abe."

Rick stepped away.

"You sure about this Rick?"

"It's not up to me. All I want is information. But if asking nicely doesn't cut it then…"

"Just confirming. Let's do this!"

Paula watched as Abe filled the bucket with water from a nearby sink. He dashed the water all over her.

"What the hell!"

The water was cold.

Abe wrapped the wire along both her legs, connected the ends to the battery. Then he connected a second wire from the battery to an exposed socket in a nearby wall. Paula looked at Rick and Abe in disbelief. Abe stood by awaiting the order. Rick stared at her….stone faced. Rick gave a slow nod and Abe flipped the switch.

Paula felt the electricity run through her body quickly..her nerves was instantly on fire. She tried to ride out the pain but it was just too much..

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" She screamed. She saw the water vapours rising from her legs...the smell of her flesh burning.

"Oh God!"

Fifteen seconds passed when Rick raised his hand and Abe turned it off. Paula struggled to catch her breath through the pain. She blinked wildly trying to fight back the tears flooding her eyes. Rick gave the signal again and Abe flipped the switch.

Paula threw her head back as the tears was now flowing freely. Her body convulged violently in the chair. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out. Rick raised his hand and Abe flipped off the switch. Paula groaned in excruciating pain. Realizing that this wasn't working Abe whispered to Rick briefly, who nodded.

Abe brought the table with the tools from the back and placed it next to Paula. He cleared one side and releasing one of her hands..Abe lay it flat on the table.

"What the f*ck are you doing?!"

Her legs was still throbbing from the current that has passed through it earlier. Without answering, Abe picked up the large carving knife and pushed it slowly through Paula hand. She watched as the knife disappeared into her hands

"Wait! Please wait!"

Abe stopped, his hand still on the knife.

"Talk to me."

Paula took a deep breath.

"Dwight commands a small group out of all of us."

"Go on…."

Paula hesitated to continue. Abe pulled out the knife and in one quick forceful jab, plunged the knife through her hand and into the table. Paula screamed out.

"You f*cks!"

Abe now picked up another piece of wire and began pushing it through just under the skin of her forearm

"Wait!"

She screamed but Abe ignored her and kept pushing until it exited the other side. Abe grabbed it and began to fillet the skin off her arm. He moved in a jagged motion...left to right...left to right. Paula struggled helplessly against the tightly bound ropes.

"Please! Have mercy!" Paula cried as she squirmed in her chair.

Seconds later, Abe peeled back the freshly filleted skin...exposing muscles and pink flesh. Paula, seeing this puked all over herself despite having nothing in her stomach. Rick smiled as both he and Abe stood watching her. The table was covered in blood..dripping on the floor. Abe then turned to Rick.

"I think I'm gonna take some of the thigh… More meat down there."

"Oh God..please!

"Tell me what I need to know." Rick said casually.

"They'll kill me! Please!"

"Bitch! I'll kill you! But it seems you are more afraid of them then me so…."

Rick waved his hand and Abe advanced towards her. Abe pulled out the knife from her hand and cut out a large portion of her jeans around the thigh area. She tried to move her barely recognizable arm but it was too weak from blood loss.

This time...instead of using the wire..Abe pushed the sharp carving knife through her thigh and like before, just beneath the skin.

"Alright! Alright!" Paula screamed.

Rick heard the quiver in her voice. He walked forward and tapped Abe on the shoulder.

"Dwight command a small portion of us..there are others too like him who control pockets of men in the area!"

"How long have you and your men have been watching us?"

"A couple weeks." Paula lied. Rick knew she was lying. He squinted his eyes at her.

"Abe…"

Abe began the filleting process again.

"Over a year!" Paula screamed out. "We had men out on the road. They met up some of your people and tried to take your stuff!" Paula squeezed her eyes to tried to block out the pain.

"Keep talking!" Abe barked at her.

"A few of us usually hang back. That's when we saw Daryl blew up our people with a rocket launcher! Your people didn't see us...so we followed them back to Alexandria. We watched for a couple days and realizes that Daryl and the other guy would go out and bring people in. So we sent some of our guys out there to be picked up and brought in."

Paula paused to catch her breath. Rick needed more answers.

"One of your people is still inside of Alexandria. Who is it?"

"I don't know."

"Abe.."

Abe began cutting again.

"I don't know...I swear! You killed all the people I know! I don't know who else is in there!"

Both Rick and Abe saw the terror in her red, puffy eyes. For now he decided that he would believe her...cautiously.

"Who do you work for?"

Paula shook her head vigorously.

"Trust me...don't do this! Leave it alone! I could leave and never come back! I can't go home as it is right now!"

"No dice!" Rick responded flatly.

Abe began cutting again. It was too much for Paula…the pain..the sight of her flesh being cut away from her body.

"Negan!" She screamed! "His name is Negan!

She then passed out.***************************

Dwight woke up drenched in sweat. He slowly opened his eyes. The sun streamed steady through the windows of the car. He jerked upright. He realized he overslept.

"F*ck!"

He scrambled to gather his stuff. He noticed strangely that there were no walkers outside...the perimeter around the car had not been disturbed. Something wasn't feeling right. He opened the door slowly..looking around as far as he can see.

Seeing that it was clear he closed the door and his heart sank when he turned around. There stood about ten men..his former brothers in arm...waiting for him.

"Thought we were going to have to wake you up."

Trevor...the group's leader walked towards him.

"Where are you heading….because from the look of things…..it's not back home."

Before he could answer….Trevor s gun butt was heading towards his face.*********************************

Dwight woke up to a throbbing pain at the side of his head and a floor that he knew all too well. They were back at home..at the Sanctuary. Then he saw a familiar pair of boots walking up to him. He looked up.

"You have some f*cking explaining to do."

 **The next couple of chapters will go into the inner workings of the Sanctuary and Negan's story from the beginning of the apocalypse leading up to the present.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: "Negan" Part 1**

Negan woke up and looked at the beautiful caramel coloured goddess sleeping next to him. When not in a bun during the day, her hair...thick, tightly twisted brown curls partially hides her face and cascade down over her shoulders at night. He just stared down at her...absorbing her beauty.

He inched closer to her until their bodies touched. He admired the contours of her face as he caressed her back..it was smooth. He remembers when the apocalypse started and meeting her for the first time…

 **Six years ago…..**

It was three weeks since the world went to shit. Negan was a senior manager at a meat packaging factory at the time. Out of 150 workers employed at the factory, who took refuge within its strong walls, only Negan and about 30 men survived. They managed to clear out the other men who died and had turned and secured the compound.

However, after about two weeks had passed, they were starving. They were forced to venture out to find food. Half of the men decided to stay back to watch their new home which they fondly called the Sanctuary while the others went out to search for food. Negan was part of the first scouting party.

On their first time outside the walls they lost 5 men to the walkers and would have lost more if it wasn't for a small group of people at a housing complex nearby who gave them shelter. The housing complex had 9 residents...hold up in a large 3 bedroom apartment on the third floor...gave them food. As Negan sat back watching his comrades eat, he realized ' _why should we beg for food when we could just take it?'_

After discussing it privately with his best friend Zane who was with them at the time..they concluded that it was a good idea. Negan then approached the leader apparent of the housing complex, William.

"You have a good set up here."

"Thank you...but it might not be enough."

He took Negan to the western end of the housing complex. There he saw that the fencing was almost destroyed as walkers have been gathering and pressing against it.

"We can't stay here for much longer."

We have a factory. It has strong walls and enough room for all of you."

William squinted at Negan then looked over at the rest of his guest suspiciously.

"What's the catch?"

"We take all that you have….all your supplies."

William scoffed at him.

"And what do we get in returned?"

"Protection. We can protect you and your family."

William looked at Negan and at his own group. He then looked at the impending threat at the west fence.

"Give me the night to think about it."

Negan nodded.**************************

Later that night William couldn't sleep. In fact he hadn't slept much since the discovery at fence. He skipped between the men now occupying his living and dining room and went to one of the bedrooms. There lay his wife Beatrice, two daughters and his son fast asleep.

" _We can't stay here much longer…"_ He thought. But he wondered if he could trust Negan and his men either with his family. Negan seem genuine enough and he was running out of options. He walked over, woke Negan and gestured for him to follow him out into the hallway. He looked Negan square in the face.

"If I agree to this...can you promise me the safety of my family?"

Negan nodded. William grabbed Negan by the collar and pushed him up against the wall.

"Promise me! Swear to me!"

"I swear to you..you and your family will be safe."

William released his collar.

"Ok..we have a deal."***********************

The next day, Negan and his men hot wired a large bus in the housing complex yard. Some men took out some of the stragglers walkers that made their way into the complex while the others, along with William's family and friends load up the bus. In half an hour, they were on their way back to the Sanctuary...the place that William and his family will soon be calling home.*******************

William gazed around in amazement at the Sanctuary. Negan was right about the safety...it was much more secured than where they previously was. Negan was pleased that William was pleased. He offered to give William and his family a tour while the other men off loaded the bus.

He showed them where they was to sleep. There was individuals bunk beds.

"I know that you would want to stay together with your family. The other four persons from William's group, Tracy and her brother Kent, Patrick and his friend Kyle was shown to another room next door. After they have settled in, William extended a hand to Negan.

"Thank you."************************

One week has passed and all seemed well. They had enough food for almost a month once rationed properly. William's group was happy...but Negan noticed that several of the men were eyeing both of William's daughters...17yr old daughter Nelva and 15yr old Cindy.

' _I need to shut that shit down immediately…'_ Negan thought.

Three days later….

Negan was walking down the corridor when he saw Pete grabbing Nelva's hand and blocking her path. She looked terrified.

"Pete...what's going on?"

Pete didn't turn to face him when he answered.

"Mind your own business Negan. I am just having a conversation."

"Clearly she doesn't want to have a conversation with you. Let her go."

Nelva's eyes darted from Negan to Pete repeatedly. Pete turned to face Negan, still holding on to Nelva's arm. Although Negan and Pete was the same height..Pete had significant more body mass than him. Pete glared at Negan.

"Make me."

Without hesitation, Negan rushed Pete and they crashed to the ground..taking Nelva with them. She screamed out and scrambled away as both men began landing blows on each other. Pete maybe bigger but Negan was faster..landing 2 to 3 punches for every one of Pete's. It appeared that Pete was going to be subdued when someone called out his name.

"Negan!"

Negan turned to see some of the men holding William and his group..with guns and knives to their heads. He stood up to face them…

"What the f*ck?!"

Pete..bloodied and bruised..slowly raised up behind Negan. Nelva screamed.

"Behind you!"

Negan turned just in time for Pete's huge fist to connect to the side of his head.*************************

Negan woke up to the sounds of crying near to him. He rubbed the back of his head...it was damp. It was blood. After catching his bearing he looked around the room. William and his wife, his friend Zane, some of the other men, Tracy and her brother Kent, Patrick and Kyle. Some people were still missing.

"Where's Nelva and Cindy?"

He got his answer his answer soon enough. The screams of Nelva and Cindy's echoed from the room next door.

"Please don't do this!" Nelva begged

"Daddy..help me!" Cindy cried.

There there was the sound of furniture breaking. The girls were fighting back. Negan looked at the faces around the room..pure terror etched on them. William's wife Beatrice and his son Jackson was cowering in a corner crying on each other. The realization of what was happening fully began to sink in when Williams walked up to him and punched him hard in the face.

"You promised me that my family would be safe! You promised!"

He lunged at Negan again...punching and kicking wildly from rage. He was pulled off by some of the men. William slumped to the ground in tears…

"My girls…" He whimpered.

Beatrice and Jackson ran over and hugged him..all a crying heap on the floor. The blood curdling screams vibrated the room for fifteen minutes when suddenly there was a loud thud and someone cursed from the other room.

"Oh shit! What did you do?!"

"F*ck! I didn't mean to!"

Then Nelva screamed.

"Cindy!"

"Jesus Christ! I think she's dead!" One voice exclaimed.

"F*ck this! I am done!" They heard the door next door open and footstep briskly walking away. They heard Nelva's pleas.

"Cindy! Wake up! Please wake up!"

Tracy ran to the corner of the room and puked. A few of the men didn't move fast enough and hurled right on the spot. A voice then boomed again. It was Pete's.

"I guess you will have to do for her and yourself."

Please! No more!"

Then there was more screams.*********************

Three days had passed when suddenly the door to the captives room was opened. Kenny rushed in babbling.

"I was not part of this! I swear but this has got to stop!

In a rage Negan flew at him and decked him hard.

"I'm sorry!" Kenny screamed.

Negan towered over him.

"Where is he?" Negan barked.

Kenny rose ungainly to his feet and lead the group outside into the hall. There were other men there..eyes sheepishly looking at the floor. Kenny lead the group pass them and into a room two doors down. There they saw a catatonic Nelva, bloodied and bruised on the bed with Pete and Al pulling up their pants.

His back was turned towards the door. Negan quickly searched the corridor as the others stood by speechless at the sight in the room. Pete turned around and was startled by the crowd at the door. He looked at Nelva and then at the crowd.

William rushed at him but he's no match for Pete who kicked him in the stomach. He then kneeled over William and started punching him while laughing. Al started to advanced towards the stunned group when Negan came roaring in..

He hit Al flush in the side of his face and made a beeline for Pete. The other men rushed in and started to beat Al. Pete saw this and moved to raise up when Negan brought an object square in the middle of Pete's head. Negan didn't stop. He kept hitting Pete over and over until there was only mush in the floor...his weapon of choice...a baseball bat.

Beatrice rushed over to Nelva. She made no sound...no movement whatsoever as she stared blankly in her mother's face. Covered in blood..Negan turned and face the crowd.

"Never again will this happen….never again!"**********************************

Two days later, Negan went on a perimeter check on the compound. As he headed around back..he saw a sight that would be permanently stamped in his brain...he saw Nelva swinging from a tree. She had hung herself...


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: "Negan" Part 2 - Law and Order**

Negan stood over the graves of Nelva and Cindy. Something broke inside him...he had felt so powerless to help them. A short distance away..the bodies of the men who stood by as these innocents girls were violated was being buried. The rage he felt caving in Pete's skull consumed him.

He promised himself that this will never happen again, not under his watch. It's either his way or no way. He will take what he want...there is no room in this world for the weak. Those who want to survive will either join him willingly or unwillingly...it will be their choice.

 **Three years later**

A small group of Negan's men are out looking, scouting for supplies and people...when they came across a small clinic. They parked off into the forest to hide their vehicles.

From the condition, it appears that there was someone living there. Soon enough a woman and a teen girl of about 16 yrs walked towards the building..knapsacks on their back.

They cautiously looked around and then pull out keys for the building. Negan's men lead by Sheldon walked out in the open and called out to them.

"Excuse me!"

Both ladies turned around, guns in hand.

"Don't come any closer!" The older woman yelled. She then nodded to the girl. "Jasmine...get inside and lock the door!"

"Mom! No!"

"Do it! Now!"

"Ok!"

"I wouldn't do that if I was you." Sheldon called out to her. He continued walking towards her.

"I said don't move asshole!"

Sheldon stopped. Suddenly he whistled and seven men came out from behind the trees with guns, pointing at them. The woman eyes widen.

"Mom?"

The woman looked back at her daughter and then back at the men.

"It's gonna be alright. Just stay behind me." The young woman complied.

"What do you want?"

Sheldon chuckled.

"We want what you have."

"And what? I'm suppose to just hand it over? Just like that?"

"Yeah."

The woman watched as the men spread out, surrounding her and her daughter. She pauses for a few minutes.

"Jasmine...give them the bags."

"But mom!"

The woman turned around and glared at her daughter.

"Just do it!"

The young woman threw the bags at the men.

"Now leave!"

"I'm afraid we can't do that...you're coming with us."

"We are not going anywhere with you. You got want you wanted."

One of the men rushed up from the side of them, grabbed Jasmine and put a gun to her temple.

"Wait!" The woman yelled.

Sheldon now spoke.

"Now….lower your weapon."

Realizing that she had no choice...she compiled. Sheldon picked up her gun and her daughter was released.

"Let's go!"**********************

Sheldon's team have been driving for about ten minutes when they came upon a group of cars crashed at the side of the road. They stopped to searched the cars. The older woman exited the vehicle while the men searched. Jasmine was about to come out as well.

"No...you stay here….just in case."

She frowned.

"Ain't you gonna help?"One of the men asked

"No."

After ten minutes...they collected a few things and resumed their driving. They met some other vehicles parked on the side of the road further down. It was a second group for the scouting from the Sanctuary led by Marcus.

"Hey...got anything.'

"Yeah."

He pointed to the women.

"These two."

Marcus peered into the vehicle.

"Dr. Young?"

"Marcus?"

Sheldon looked between them.

"You know her?"

"Yeah..she's a doctor."

Sheldon smiled.

"Jackpot!"*****************************

They drove up a slight incline up a narrow driveway through large metal gates. There were walkers chained along the outside of the walls and in between cars that was parked in front of the building. They drove to the west side of the large compound and parked. They walked back to the front of the building. Marcus whispered to the woman.

"Wait here."

He briskly walked inside and five minutes later came back out accompanied by another man. The man was 6ft tall and of medium built. He wore a leather jacket with leather pants and boots. He had stubble on this face and was easy on the eyes. The man watched as the men carries the stuff they found scouting.

Jasmine stood behind her mother and Marcus and Sheldon stood on either side of them.

"And who is this?"

The man moves closer to her. Marcus was about to speak when Sheldon cut in.

"This is Dr Young."

"Hmmm..a Dr!"

The man was clearly pleased at this.

"Does the Dr have a first name?"

The woman stares blankly at him as Sheldon looked towards Marcus to give an answer.

"It's Renee….and this is her daughter ..Jasmine."

Renee looked at Marcus annoyed. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Well..it's nice to meet you and your daughter. I'm Negan" He stretched out his hand but Renee simply folded hers across her chest.

"Your people took my stuff….I want it back."

"I am afraid that's not possible…what was yours is now mine."

Renew narrowed her eyes at him as he smiled at her.

"Please..allow me to show you around your new home."

"Who told you I am staying?"

Negan ignored her remark as he walked inside. Marcus gestures for them to follow. They reluctantly did. The hall was massive and it was filled with people doing all kinds of activities. Three groups of men were playing cards in the corner while some others was playing tennis on a makeshift table.

Six men had an assortment of guns on a table..cleaning them. There was another five on the table near to them, doing an ammo count.

Across the hall there was a group of teenagers around Jasmine's age chilling on three sofas, talking and laughing loudly. Jasmine slowed down on seeing them..her curiosity peaked. Negan noticed this and decided to make introductions. He called the group over

"Guys...I want you to meet Jasmine..the newest member here. Jasmine..this is Robbie, Isaac, Trent, Sarah and Valerie. They all said hi together.

"Hi!" Jasmine responded eagerly. She then turned to her mother.

"Can I hang out here with them..while you look around?"

Negan saw the concern in Renee's eyes as well as the eagerness in Jasmine's.

"She will be safe." Negan assured her.

"Please mom!"

Renee doesn't like the idea. She doesn't know this man or his people and she doesn't trust them.

"How about we take a look around first..OK."

Jasmine was slightly disappointed.

"I'll see you around guys." She told the group.

"Cool." One of them responded as they walked away.

There were large machines at back of the hall. From the labels on the machines and the arrows that point in all directions on the floor..Renee came to the conclusion that this was previously a meat packaging factory.

They climb a flight of stairs to the first floor.

"This is the main sleeping area." Negan announced

"How many people live here?

"At this location...there is about 40 people at any given time."

"This location?!"

Negan saw the skepticism in her face. He nodded..much to Renée's surprise. He watched her as she walked into a couple of sleeping quarters to inspect it. Her daughter stayed outside looking down at the group of teenagers below. Negan whispered to her.

"Go on."

Jasmine shook her head.

"No way..mom would kill me!" She said..half smiling.

They then went to the second floor.

"This is my private quarters." Negan announced proudly.

As if on cue, six women rushed out to greet him. Renee and Jasmine was taken aback by their attire and behaviour.

They were scantily clad in lingerie and groping Negan all over his body. He, in turn, groped their butts and breast, kissing two of them passionately.

"Ladies..I will like you to meet our new resident doctor."

The ladies ignored her..and she was grateful for that. Marcus gestured to her.

"Your room is down this way."

Renee paused.

"Wait..we're staying on this floor with them?

Marcus nodded.

"Besides….like I said before I didn't say we were staying."

"Look Doc...I know this is all new to you but give it a couple of days….one week at most. If you don't like it here then…"

"We are free to leave..right.?"

Marcus turned and headed down the hallway. Renee turned to see her daughter waving to the group of teenagers down below. She walked up to her.

"Are we staying?"

"Let's settle in first. I have a couple days to think about it. Then I will decide."*********************

Later that evening, Negan hung over the railing from the second floor looking at the activities below. There he saw Jasmine laughing and talking with her new friends. Her mother was sitting at the opposite end of the hall watching her.

He notices that everytime Jasmine laughed a small smile appeared on her mother's face. Clearly Jasmine is her world. He tried to see the similarities between the two and he found that there wasn't many. Besides the colour of their hair and same smile, Jasmine has features distinct from her mom's.

Renee has thick, brown, tightly twisted short curls, while jasmine has long, straight, brown hair. Renée's eyes are brown and her skin is caramel brown in colour but Jasmine's eyes are grey and the skin is light cream.

Given such differences between the two, Negan couldn't help but wonder who Jasmine's father was. Her mother is a doctor so it is safe to say she probably went to a privilege school. Did she meet Jasmine's father there? Was he the cute quarter back or the super popular guy in school.

Negan also deduced that he had to be white. He wondered if they had married. If so..what is her status now..was she divorced or a widow. He didn't see a ring on her finger..nor did he see any evidence that there ever was any ring in the first place.

Negan watched Renée as she watched her daughter. She peaked his curiosity and he wanted to know more about her. Besides..having a doctor in house in a benefit for the community. The only problem….he has to convince her to stay.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: "Negan" Part 3 -Signs**

Renée looked on at her daughter talking and laughing with the other teenagers. Jasmine waved at her and she waved back. Despite her daughter appearing to be happy this place makes her uneasy. Renee briefly scanned the hall full of people.

Negan's men stole their stuff and forced them to come here against their will. That's kidnapping. In addition to that, they put a gun to Jasmine's head to get her to comply. Clearly these are dangerous people. She wondered how many people sitting in this hall was met with the same fate as she did.

Her mind drifted to the scantily clad women. ' _What the f*ck was that?'_ She thought. All those women fawning over Negan as if she was invisible, ass and boobs hanging out all over the place. ' _Was this a pussy in exchange for protection policy?'_ None of the women seemed shy or reluctant but fear can make a person do anything to survive.

Everyone looked to be well fed and contented. They all seem to have assignments as well. This place appears to have a working system in place but still...she can't shake that something was wrong here. She knows people here was looking at her. She looked up and saw that Negan was one of them.***************************

Later that night while Jasmine was fast asleep, Renée was wide awake and she got an earful of Negan's extracurricular activities with two of the women she probably saw groping him earlier. She quietly stepped out in the corridor, bringing a chair with her.

She closed the door behind her and put the chair against the wall. She sat down. The place was silent. She wanted to explore but there is no way she's leaving Jasmine alone...unattended. Not in this place. After about twenty minutes, she heard the shudders and moans of climax and then nothing.

Five minutes later, a shirtless Negan walked out of his room, smoking a cigar. She saw him, but it looked like he didn't see her and she didn't make her presence know either. He leaned over the railing, while puffing out the smoke from his mouth.

Soon..the smoke floated down her way. She tried to fan it away but after a couple of seconds, she coughed, startling Negan.

"Jesus Christ!"

He was staring at her.

"How long have you been there?"

"Long enough."

She kept her eyes forward. He said nothing for a few moments.

"Did I keep you up?"

No response.

"F*ck...you are one unfriendly …"

Renée head snapped around in his direction, eyes glaring at him.

"Person!….I was gonna say person."

She slowly turned away from him.

' _This one's a pistol…'_ Negan thought. ' _I like her!'_

"Well..goodnight."

He waited for her reciprocate… No such luck.*************

The next morning Renee woke up. She looked over and saw that Jasmine's bed was empty. She started to panic, calling out Jasmine's name. She rushed out the room.

"Jasmine!"

Two of Negan's wives were out in the corridor, painting their nails. Renee called out again.

"Jasmine!"

She got no reply. Renee raced down the steps to the ground floor in a state of panic and confusion. Marcus and Zane just came inside from the back and saw Renée was panicking. Other people were watching her as well.

"Hey...are you OK?" Zane asked.

"I can't find Jasmine!"

Suddenly Jasmine, Trent and Robbie walked through the front door carrying boxes. Jasmine, seeing her mother in a state of confusion, dropped her box and ran to her.

"Mom! Are you OK? What's wrong?!"

"I woke up and you weren't there! Where were you?!"

"I woke up early and they needed help bringing in some boxes."

"You know the rules! Whoever gets up first..wakes the other!"

"I thought I should let you rest.. You looked tired and you never wake up this late. I thought I would have been back before you got up. I'm sorry!"

Renée hugged a visibly upset Jasmine.

"Just don't do it again OK….we have rules for a reason."

Jasmine nodded and walked away. Negan observed the whole interaction from above.**********************

Later that day..Marcus was doing a perimeter check when Negan walked up to him.

"Sheldon tells me you know the Dr."

"I wouldn't say I _know_ her, per say. I know of her."

"Go on."

"I met her a couple of times. She was my older sister's classmate and friend."

"Well, what _can_ you tell me?"

"I don't know what you're asking me."

Negan sighed in exasperation.

"Is she married, or was she married? Things like that."

"I don't know anything about her personal life. I know she cared for my mother when she was sick...recommended a great nursing home for her to live out her days. Like I said...she was my sister's friend."

"So you don't know anything about Jasmine's father?"

Marcus shrugged his shoulders meekly.

"Sorry."

"It's fine." Negan said and walked away.****************

Renee was in her room when there was a knock.

"Come in."

One of the scantily clad women entered carrying food.

"We didn't see you eat anything since this morning so we fixed you a plate."

The young woman sat down on the bed next to her, dressed in red lace panties and bra and black pumps. She couldn't be no older than 25. Renee took the plate cautiously..thanking her.

"Jasmine ate already. We made sure of it."

Renee looked up at her.

"We?"

"Yes. Me and the other wives. It's our duty to look after new female guest here."

Renee was confused and the girl chuckled a little.

"The six of us you saw when you first came here are Negan wives."

"Wives?

"Yes."

Renee tries to register the information flooding her way.

"He married all of you?"

"No. We have an arrangement. We give him what he wants"...the young woman then pointed to her crotch.."and in return we get first dibs on anything that comes into this place plus protection."

"Oh…" Renée said slowly. She looked away from the woman.

"Sorry..I forgot my manners. I'm Misty."

She shot out her hand to Renée who shook it briefly.

"So...how's that arrangement working for you?"

"Fine." Misty said but her tone of voice and demeanour say something else.

"Has anyone ever refused?"

"They would be foolish….seeing what's going on out there. We are protected here..despite the cost."

There was silence between them.

"What happens _if_ a woman refused?"

"Then they are left to fend for themselves."

"He leaves them outside to die?"

Misty shook her head.

"No. They just have to do what the men do to earn their keep. They go on supply runs and do whatever else is needed around here. But if you become one of Negan's wives, you earn your keep by keeping him happy."

She paused.

"It's rough out there Doc...some of us can't make it out there on our own, either by ourselves or with other men scavenging for food. Some of _us_ need protection. There are a few women at other posts who chose not to be a wife. They are tough..like you."

Renée was surprised at her insinuation.

"Like me?"

"Yeah..don't pretend. You raising your daughter in all this and you are surviving. Sheldon told Negan about the nice clinic you two were hold up in and the stuff he took from you."

"Didn't have a choice. I'm all Jasmine has. We protect each other."

"No father?"

Renee shook her head.

"You see. It's hard enough to raise a kid alone before all this shit happen but you kept yours alive after as well. Because you are strong."

Renée smiled at the compliment."

"I'm surprised though."

"At what?"

"That he hasn't asked you yet."

"Ask me what?"

"To become one of his wives. Will you accept?"

"Now hold on!

Misty cut her off.

"It's not that bad. It's quite good actually. He has a huge appetite and he's not into kinky stuff so you don't have to worry about getting hurt!" She laughed. "Besides...you would make the rest of us look good...you being a doctor and all."

Renee turned to face the young woman.

"Let's get something straight honey...I am not interested in being part of your little f*ck club. I am not going to even be here long enough to be invited."

Misty looked sad.

"It's ashamed though. The ladies and I already discussed it. It would have been great having you with us."

Misty then got up.

"I gotta get going now. Enjoy your food." And she walked out. Renee lost her appetite.**********************

Later that night, Negan watched as Jasmine bid farewell to her friends and her and mother walked up the stairs. They said goodnight to him and he replied. They entered their room. Ten minutes later Jasmine walked back out into the corridor. Negan took this opportunity to see where Renée stood on staying.

"I see you are getting along with your new friends."

"Yeah...they are great."

"So...does that mean you and your mom are staying?"

Jasmine shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. Mom hasn't said anything yet."

"Do you want to stay?"

Jasmine brightened up.

"Hell yeah!"

She lowered her voice so her mom wouldn't hear her.

"I mean….it would be nice...being with other people for a change. When this whole thing started..I was in school. My mom came to get me. We went home and tried to secure our home. That was good for a while until people started breaking into houses and stealing food and medicine. We got robbed at gunpoint. They took everything."

She took a jab at Negan.

"Just like what your men did to us." She said pointedly.

Negan said nothing.

"We had to spend the next 3days scavenging for food. My mom almost got bit by one of those things. By the time we got back to the house..it was over run. So we decided to drive to the clinic where she worked. It wasn't perfect. We killed a few of those things that was roaming around inside. Only the front door was glass so we boarded it up with whatever material we could find. The back door was metal so we were relatively safe. That was our home for awhile."

She paused to catch her breath.

"But we couldn't stay long...people was trying to get in to rob us again. So we moved here to the sister branch clinic just over 6 months now. We kept a low profile as to not attract anyone."

"What did you do for food."

"We hit the local supermarkets. Most was already looted so we took all the rest..mostly snacks but we got some can food from in the basement of one supermarket. We were lucky. We try not to go too far...just in case of emergency."

"That must have been hard...trying to survive."

"Yeah...it was but not as hard as being alone...just the two of us. Don't get me wrong...I love my mom but I hated the isolation..not seeing other people to interact with."

A couple of minutes of silence fell between them.

"You should tell your mom that."

"Nah...here it is I am complaining about not getting to talk to other people while mom is just trying to keep me safe and alive. So far..it's working. Mom will do anything to keep us safe. I trust she will make the right decision."

"You both can get what you want here….you get new friends and she gets to keep you safe. Everybody wins."

"Yeah….maybe."

Jasmine yawned.

"I think I'll be going to bed now."

Just then Renée walked outside.

"I was just coming to get you." She looked at Jasmine, then to Negan then back at Jasmine again. "The bathroom is all yours."

"Ok mom. Goodnight Negan."

"Goodnight."

Renee watched her daughter walk inside. Then she turned and looked at Negan with a curious look on her face. Negan too looked at her, trying to read her body language. She then nodded to him and went inside.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: "Negan" Part 4 - Decisions**

That night, Renee looked at her daughter peacefully at sleep and tries to picture herself in lingerie walking around this place as one of Negan's wives. The idea made her cringe. It would be humiliating, having to fulfil his whims and fancy all with her daughter knowing and possibly hearing it.

She wondered why Negan hadn't asked her yet. What was he waiting on? He knows she doesn't need this place or him to survive and to keep Jasmine safe. He also knows that she will do anything to make Jasmine happy.

It's clear that Jasmine is happy here...she has young people her own age to interact with...something she knows her daughter longs for and it doesn't seem that any particular demands are being made of them other than to help out around here. So at least she wouldn't be out there, running around and dodging from the dead.

If she does refuse to be one of his wives, it's very unlikely she will just be sent packing. Instead, she could be placed at one of his other outpost, doing the very same things she has been doing all this while. The difference...she will have to compete with other scouts for supplies and they would have to be shared.

What will happen to Jasmine? Will he keep her here for protection or will he punish her also for her mother's decision? Their only option was to leave this place. Marcus asked her to give it a try for a few days which she did. He said they could leave...he better keep that promise.**************************

Negan stood out in front the courtyard. He was restless…he couldn't sleep.

"She's not Nelva."

Negan turned around to see Zane walking up to him.

"What?"

"You heard me. Jasmine is not Nelva. Stop projecting your guilt of not being able to help Nelva unto Jasmine."

He paused to look at his friend.

"Renee is not William either."

"I don't know what you talking about."

"Sure. I see what you're doing. Going the extra mile for Renée and her daughter. Making sure the daughter has friends etc just so they don't leave."

"I don't need to do all that. I could just force them to stay. My house..my rules."

"And that would be a very big mistake. Forcing her to stay against her will will actually work against you. You know that."

"Bullshit!"

"Really?!" Zane smirked. "I know what you are afraid of."

Negan turned to face him.

"You know Renée doesn't need you. She has been out there keeping herself and her daughter alive and being good at it too. You like her...having her around. Her daughter too. She's a sweet kid but it gives you a chance to hold on to what could have been if Nelva and Cindy was still alive. You know that if you let her leave..there is a possibility that you will never see her again because she doesn't needs this place. She will make it."

Negan said nothing. He knows Zane is right. Renee doesn't need him. She isn't desperate like his wives who chose the comfort of his bed or the other women at the other outpost who go out scouting everyday in the hopes that one day they will die.

"Dont do this to yourself man…."

"Even if what you're saying is true… I can't break the rules….even for her."

"Who says anyone has to know. Besides...you don't owe an explanation to anyone. Most of the people you control are either too chicken shit or lazy to go out there and try to make it on their own. They may not agree with some of the decisions or rules around here but they wouldn't question it. They are all too happy to take orders once it keeps them alive."

Negan looked at his friend.

"Let her go. I guarantee you wouldn't be able to forgive yourself if you force her to stay and something happens to her or her daughter. If she's meant to be here, she will come back."

Zane then walked away.**************************

Early the next morning Renée met Marcus at the back of the compound.

"I am leaving."

"Already?!" He sound surprised.

"Yeah...it's time."

"What about Jasmine?"

"What about her?"

Marcus didn't want to step on any toes...so he merely shook his head.

"Nothing."

"Ok...I am going to pack our bags."

Marcus nodded as Renée walked away.****************

Negan looked at Marcus as he tries to absorb the news he was just given. ' _F*ck….she really is leaving! What the f*ck!'_

"Where is she now?"

"Packing."************************

"Mom...what are you doing?"

Jasmine woke up to the activities in the room.

"We are going back to the clinic. We can't stay here."

"Wait! Why?!"

"We just need to leave! Get up and get dressed.

"Why?!"

"Jasmine please! I'll explain when we get home."

"This isn't fair!" Jasmine shouted at her mother.

"Hey!"

Renée and Jasmine heads snapped around to the voice at the door. It was Negan.

"Don't talk to your mother like that! She said you guys are leaving and that's that!"

Jasmine glared at Negan then at her mother, grabbed up some clothes and rushed to the bathroom to get dressed. Negan watched as Renée continued to pack the clothes that had been given to them.

"Thank you...for that."

Negan said nothing.

"You don't approve…"

"I could make you stay. It's one of my rules."

"Ohhh….I am quite aware of some of your rules and how things work around here."

Negan squinted at her not quite catching her meaning..then suddenly gave out a small laugh.

"Misty talks too much." He walked into the room. "I think you are making a mistake."

Renee zipped the bags closed and looked at him.

"We will be fine but thank you."

They looked at each other.

"What will you tell your men. You can't afford to look weak in front of them."

Negan grinned at her.

"That's the one thing they will never say about me."

The bathroom door opened.

"I'm ready." Jasmine grumbled.**********************

Because Jasmine was visibly upset, she asked if they could pass in the back so her friends couldn't see her. Negan obliged.

"What will you tell them?"

"Dont worry about it."

Marcus was out back waiting on them in the truck. They got in. A few people saw them as they drove out of the compound. Part of Negan wanted to stop them, force them to stay. At least Jasmine would be happy...Renee on the other hand..well she would get over it in time. But he decided against it.*************************

Everyone drove in silence. Clearly Jasmine was upset with her for leaving but she had valid reasons. She will explain it to her when she calms down. Soon they pulled up at the clinic. There was a large cluster of walkers roaming around the clinic which Renée and Marcus cleared while Jasmine waited in the car.

The building itself was intacted. Marcus helped them carry the supplies they were given inside. When they were finished Marcus and Renée walked outside. They shook hands.

"Thank you for everything."

Marcus nodded..got into the vehicle and drove off.*********

When Marcus was out of sight of the clinic, he veered off and drove as far as he can into the forest. Parking the car and covering it with branches, he took out a few can foods and walked back in the direction of the clinic. After half an hour of trekking through the woods, he came within watching distance of the clinic.

Making sure he was relatively safe..he set up a small camp, and pulled out his binoculars. Unknown to Renée, Negan has ordered that he stay back and keep an eye on her and Jasmine and render any assistance if needed**************

Because of the supplies they were given, there was no need for them to go out scouting for atleast three weeks. It has been three days since they have been back at the clinic and Jasmine was still upset with her..but not as much.

"Those women in the underwear..do you know what they do?"

They were eating breakfast. Jasmine shook her head.

"Well, the women at the sanctuary are given two choices..they can become one of Negan's wives in exchange for protection or they will be sent to other outposts where they have to go on supply runs with the other men."

She paused as she watched Jasmine soak it all in.

"Those who choose to become one of Negan wives has to dress in skimpy outfits and are at his beckon call….24/7."

Jasmine stared at her mother.

"Did he ask you...to be one of this wives?"

Seeing the outrage in her daughter rising, she continued...

"No..he didn't… Not yet and I wasn't waiting for him to ask either. I don't want to join their little club, parading around in my underwear for all to see. I would have refused and I didn't want to take the chance that he would have tried to separate us..keeping you with him while sending me to an outpost."

There was a heavy pause.

"I'm sorry mom…" Jasmine whispered. "You did the right thing."*******************

Later that day they heard the faint sound of a horn blaring. They went outside and saw what appeared to be flare gun residue in the sky to the north of them.

"Is someone in trouble?" Jasmine asked

"Yeah...could be. We should check the security of the clinic and get back inside. We don't know what's coming."******************

Three days later...someone came banging on the door.

"Renee! Renee!"

Jasmine looked frantically at her mother. Renée picked up her gun.

"Stay here and keep quiet!"

Renee ran out the back and crept up the side of the building. She rushed out, gun in hand pointing at the person.

"Dont shoot! Don't shoot! It's me!"

Renée was in a state of confusion.

"Marcus?! What are you doing here?"

"We need to leave now!"

"I am not going anywhere!"

In frustration… Marcus dragged Renee out into the street, pushed the binoculars in her hand and pointed up in the distance ahead. She looked through and was struck with terror. Heading straight towards them was a vehicle and motorbike and a massive herd of walkers following them. Renee covered mouth and dropped the binoculars.

"Mom!"

"Jasmine! Get your stuff quickly! We are leaving! She screamed.*******************

Marcus drove up into the sanctuary compound and parked. Jasmine and Marcus got out of the vehicle.

"Mom? Are you OK?"

Yes..I am fine. Go inside."

She slowly came out of the truck and walked on wobbly legs towards the front door of the place she is now forced to call home*********************

(That was a brief introduction into Negan and the Sanctuary. Thank you to all those who read and posted reviews.)


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: "Hope"**

Rick and Abe looked at an unconscious Paula. They are not finished with her as yet but at least they got two names….Dwight, most likely the prick in the trees and Negan….their leader. Rick looked at the filleted skin.

"Where you learned to do that?"

Abe raised up his shirt to reveal a huge jagged scar across the side of his ribs.

"I learned watching it being done on me."

Rick laughed.

"What you wanna do with her?"

"We're not done with her yet. We need to know who are these people, the location of their camp, how many people they got, everything. We need to wipe them out for what they did to Sasha and Michonne and the nine other people they killed."

"Are we still on lockdown?"

"Yes. All walkie talkies will be taken away. We know there is still at least one of her people still among us and we need to flush them out. We need to find another means of communicating without compromising ourselves at the same time."

Abe agreed.

"I need to check on the twins and Michonne. I'll send someone back to relieve you so you can go home. We need to contain this and keep it contained for as long as possible."******************************

Rick walked through the streets of Alexandria towards his home. He could see some of the residents peeping out at him. He began to wonder which one of them is Paula's people. ' _Show you ugly face you bastard!'_ He thought to himself. Suddenly, Carl came running out to him.

"Dad! Come quick! It's Michonne!"

Rick broke out in a sprint heading home. **************

Rick rushed in the door breathless. Carl was at Michonne's bedside holding her hand. Maggie, Enid and Denise was also standing at her bedside. Tears in their eyes. They had placed both babies...one on each side of Michonne on the bed...but they were sleeping peacefully. Rick began gasping for breath!

"Is she…."

"No dad! Look!"

Carl then whispered Michonne's name softly.

"Michonne.."

Suddenly, Michonne's hands moved slightly at first, then her fingers made a full on curl around Carl's hand. Carl looked at his dad..tears now flowing freely. In seconds, Rick was by Michonne's side.

"Michonne baby! Can you hear me?"

Rick grabbed her other hand. Slowly, her fingers curled around Rick's hands as well.

"Oh God!" Rick cried. "When did this start happening?

"It was Enid's idea. She suggested putting the twins on the bed." Carl said.

Rick looked at Enid, grateful for her wisdom. Rick started kissing Michonne's hand.

"Come back to us baby! Come back to us."****************

Sasha watched as Rick left the house at the far side of the community. He left alone, so she knows Abe is still there. She left the house.****************************

Abe sat opposite Paula watching her.

"Is this one of them?"

Abe shot to his feet.

"Jesus Christ Sasha!"

She ignored him, just kept staring at the still unconscious woman. She smiled at what was done to Paula's hand and thigh.

"Is she alive?"

Abe nodded.

"Why?!" Sasha demanded.

"We need information. We can't get that if she's dead."

He knows that Sasha isn't thinking rationally.

"Hmmmm..well at least I will be able to get my pound of flesh when she wakes up."

Abe looked at her.

"Don't you dare deny me this! Don't you dare!"

"Sasha…"

"I want my pound of flesh!"

Abe moved close to her. Sasha backed away. Abe cornered her.

"I need this!" She cried. Abe hugged her tightly. "I need this!"

"Ok." Abe whispered in her ear. "Ok"********************

Rick watched his wife and twins on the bed. He knows he is lucky and should be grateful that Michonne is responding to her name and knows that they are all here, but why isn't she waking up? Rick decides to go and give the good news to Carol and the others.*****************

As soon as Rick walked through the door Judith ran towards him. He scoped her up, giving her a bear hug and smother her in kisses. Daryl, Glen, Carol and Rosita crowded around him.

"How's Michonne?"

"She responding to her name now" Rick said smiling.

There was a collective sigh of relief. Glen pat Rick on his back.

"She's coming back to us."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: "Conquered"**

Because Rick couldn't trust any of the Alexandrians to keep guard over Paula, Daryl volunteered to do so while Rick and the others come up with a plan to find the other remaining traitor among them. While Denise and Dr Bryce look after Michonne; Carl, Enid, Maggie and the rest of the wives look after the children at Rick's house, Rick, Glen and Abe strategize at Carol's house.

"We need more information from Paula. Their camp location, how many are there….everything! And we need it now!" Rick stressed.

Glen and Abe agreed.

"If she doesn't wake up soon, I already asked Dr Bryce to give her adrenaline to wake her up by force. I'm not waiting."

"Plus we need to figure out which one of these people are her cohorts." Glen reminded them.

There was a silent pause between men. It was Abe who broke it.

"I don't think interviewing all the Alexandrians will work. They could lie and they will lie….to cover their asses."

Rick frowned.

"Well not all of them. Just the ones who Daryl and Aaron brought in since we got here."

Glen shook his head in disagreement.

"It still wouldn't work. We can't trust any of the original alexandrians even if we wanted to. Those who came in after could have influenced those who were already here. So whether we separate them or interview them, it wouldn't make a difference."

After a long pause, Rick grinned.

"Shit!"

They looked at him.

"What?" Abe asked

"We flush them out."

Glen nodded.

"Yeah...that could work. They already know we have someone in custody. They would expect us to question the person to get information."

Rick turned to Glen and Abe.

"Get everyone to the church. I have an idea."*******************************

Rick watched as the residents filed into the church. He tries to gauge everyone's body language to see if he saw any ticks to their movement.. Anyone who seems extra chatty or extra nervous. Nothing.

When everyone was seated, Rick stood at the front of the church while Abe stood at the rear entrance and Glen took his position at the west exit. Rick purposely looked at each resident's face before he began to speak.

"Those people who attacked us...who killed some of us and tried to take over our community...one of the them is sitting among us right now."

Rick watched as no one said nothing or made any sudden movements.

"As you know..we captured one of them and have been questioning her extensively and we've learned a few things before she passed out from the pain."

There were a few gasps in the crowd, so Rick knows his words are having some impact.

"But before I say anything further, I need the people who Daryl and Aaron brought in into this community to sit to my left. All other persons sit to my right."

There were some hesitations at first, and then persons began to reluctantly move according to their new seating instructions. In order for this to work, Rick will need extra eyes...Alexandrians who also have a stake in finding out who this other person is.

He could see his method already at work when the original residents of Alexandria began making accusatory stares at the other group.

"This is bullshit!" One of the new residents shouted. "We didn't do anything!"

Craig, one of the original residents shot back.

"We don't know that! This only happened after we began bring people in!"

"We have as much to lose as the rest of you! We want this person found just as badly as you do!"

"Yeah..we'll see."

Rick, Abe and Glen all watched each other.

"Enough!" Rick shouted. "Quite frankly…..it could be any of you.."

Everyone became quiet again.

"Now...like I said..we've learned a few things. The man who coordinated this attack..his name is Dwight. He was the one who also shot me and my wife. She is unconscious because of him. Our babies need their mother and because of these people...this Dwight...my wife cannot hold her children"

A man in the church suddenly clenched his fist on his lap nervously..so as to not make any sudden movements that could give him away.

"This Dwight and his group work for a man called Negan."

Rick paused his flow of information to the crowd to let it soak in. The man swallowed hard...slowly.

"We were about to get the name of the other person but unfortunately...the pain was too much..she passed out."

The crowd began to murmur.

"Don't worry...I already asked the doctor to give her some adrenaline to wake her up to resume questioning as soon as possible. I assure you that this person will be found."

Rick watched with interest as the people before him started discussing among themselves all what he had said. Glen and Abe observed the crowd as well. Rick addresses the crowd again.

"Are there any questions."

A hand went up.

"Yes?"

"What will you do if you find the person."

There was a pause as the church got quiet.

"Kill em...of course."****************************

Abe collected all the walkie talkies as the residents go back to their home. The restriction of movement in the community has been lifted but no one is to leave the compound. Extra sentries have already been posted at all the gates.

Rick theorized that the traitor will be desperate to leave Alexandria….as a matter of fact he is counting on it. When the residents left, Glen called Rick aside.

"We got back nine walkie talkies."

Rick looked at Glen blankly.

"What's the problem?"

"We only gave out eight…."***************************************

Abe report the outcome of the meeting to Daryl and also to relieve him so he can go home. Soon Rick arrived with Dr Bryce to administer the adrenaline shot to Paula. A few minutes later...Paula groaned and sloppily lifted her head.

She squinted at Rick, Abe and the Dr, the pain in her arm and thigh slowly registering in her brain. Dr Bryce check her vitals to make sure that she is fully awake and hurried left so Rick can conduct his interrogation.

"I told you everything I know." She whispered. "I swear."

"What is your group called?"

Paula didn't immediately answer, so Abe started unpacking the tools on the table again. Paula began to whimper.

"Please….don't!" as Abe kneeled down in front of her and began ripping the thigh region on the other jeans leg.

"The Saviours!" Paula wailed...tears springing from her bloodshot eyes.

Suddenly Abe sprang to his feet, whispered in Rick's ear and left.

"What's going on?" Paula croaked.

Minutes later, Abe returned with his wife.

"Oh good….she's awake."

Rick decided to leave to allow Sasha some privacy.

Paula watched as Sasha picked up the carving knife and swiftly drove it into Paula's untouched leg. She screamed out in pain.

"I want to know where is your camp and how many people you've got."

When Paula didn't answer quick enough, Sasha twisted the knife.

"Oh God! Stop! Stop!" She pant. " We have 20 people...I'll take you there!"

"No! Draw us a map!"

"Ok..OK!"

Sasha, angry that Paula folded so easily...twisted the knife again and hit her hard across the face. She raised her hand to hit her again when Abe grabbed her and dragged her off to the back of the room, behind Paula's back.

Sasha tries to fight Abe to get back at Paula but it was no use. He firmly cupped her face in his rough hands and held it there until she calm down. When she did..her eyes became swollen in tears, which he wipes away gently.

"Trust me..we will get through this."

She nodded at him through hot tears and they gently kissed.***************************

Glen took over the prisoner guard so that Abe and Sasha can go home. Rick talked to Dr Bryce about Michonne's condition.

"She's still responding to stimuli..which is a good sign...but I am concerned that she hasn't woken up as yet."

"Should we be worried?"

"Like I said…responding is a good sign….but I still can't explain why she's not waking up. Her wound is healing nicely..there's no infection…blood pressure and breathing is normal. I just don't understand it! I'm sorry."

Refusing to accept this..Rick took the twins from Maggie, went upstairs in the room and closed the door. He sat on the bed next of Michonne cradling the twins.

"You should see what I have in my hands. We created the most beautiful human beings ever and they need their mother….I need their mother. Carl has a little brother and Judith has a little sister. You know who I have? You! You think I'm just gonna sit here and let you just give up on them..on us...on our family. I love you Michonne Grimes…and I believe love is suppose to last forever. I told you our love is forever. Don't make me a liar...please."

Suddenly, the twins began to cry and fuss.

"Come back to me Michonne. I am not raising our four kids alone. We made a promise...the two of us to the four of them. Come back to me! I can't do this alone!"

Rick was on the verge of tears now as he searched Michonne's face for any sign that she heard him. He saw nothing. Rick began sobbing quietly as he look down at the two 3days old faces staring back at him. He whispered to them.

"Momma's coming back…"

Rick's heart suddenly stopped when he heard just one word…

"Rick?"********************************


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: "At Last"**

"Rick?"

The voice was a hoarse whisper. Rick's heart seized in his chest. He closed his eyes to catch his breath to push out the sound of the crying infants to make sure he heard what he thought he heard.

"Rick?"

The voice was more strained now. ' _Please God! Don't play this trick on me.'_ Rick thought. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at Michonne. He let out a small, weak gasp. Michonne's eyes were partially opened, fluttering slightly, her mouth partly opened as they took solid deep breaths.

Rick let out a small cry as he leaned over her..his eyes piercing into hers...his warm tears dripping on her cheeks. Weakly, as she reached out her left hand to touch him, he brought his lips to the palm of her hand and kissed it gently as he balanced the twins in his hands. She caressed his face.

He then started to plant passionate kisses all over Michonne's face while quietly sobbing her name. Michonne ran her long fingers through the curls at the back of Rick's head. ' _This is real!'_ Rick's insides screamed at him… _'Oh God...this is real!'_

Rick looked gently at Michonne as she looked up at him. Her eyes then casted down at the now quiet but slightly squirming bundles in his hand. Tears flooded her eyes and ran down the side of her face.

She touched each child's head several times and their arms gestured widely after each touch. Michonne broke out in a half sob..half giggle at their reaction which caused Rick to smile broadly.

"This is us baby….you and me."

Michonne looked up at him and sighed delicately.

"Kiss me."

Rick obliged. Michonne parted her lips as his lips met hers for a deep, craving, engulfing embrace.*******************

Rick doesn't know how long they were kissing for but he knew the back of his neck hurt. When they parted, their eyes locked as if they were seeing each other for the first time. The babies were much quieter now.

"I'll go get the others." Rick whispered.

"No..wait!"

Rick looked at her worried.

"I just want to spend a couple minutes with just the four of us….please."

Rick understood. He laid the now sleeping babies on their backs on Michonne's bosom and with Michonne's help turned them on their bellies to face their mother. Rick brought over pillows from the next bedroom and propped up her back as well as her both sides.

From the colours they were wearing, she could tell that it was a boy and a girl. She lovingly rubbed their backs as they yawned.

"A brother for Carl and a sister for Judith." Rick said.

Michonne smiled.

"They are perfection."

She paused and looked at him.

"Did you name them yet?"

"I wasn't going to name them….. _we_ have to name them."

Seeing tears springing to Michonne's eyes again, he kneeled down at her side, pressing his lips at the side of her head. Michonne leaned into him so their cheeks touched.

"You scared me….I thought…."

Realizing Rick was choking up to find the words to say...despite the pain in her right side of her body, she reached up and held his head against her..his sobs falling into her.

"I thought I was going to lose you...when I saw you lying there..the blood..everything. I just thought…"

Rick choked up again. Michonne tried to comfort her husband.

"I am sorry. I shouldn't have been there. I was careless and stupid. I thought the threat was over."

"I'm not blaming you! It wasn't your fault" Rick said, pulling slightly away from her. She put her hand on his chest.

"I know...I know. I just wish I acted differently."

Rick kissed her again. Looking at the sleeping babies Rick began speaking again.

"We caught one of them…."

"Rick…"

"And we are gonna make her tell us everything..."

Michonne touched Rick's chin and gently pulled his gaze away from the twins and into her eyes.

"I don't wanna talk about that now...not yet. This right here" she glanced at the sleeping beauties, "Is what I wanna talk about. I want to stay in this moment for as long as possible."

Rick nodded. He kissed her again and then watched happily as the twins yawned again.*********************

Realizing Michonne had fell asleep also, Rick left to inform the others of Michonne's recovery. He met Carl first in the kitchen. Rick couldn't contain his excitement that he told Carl to follow him upstairs. He knew words will not be able to express it adequately.

He pushed the door open slightly. Carl watched a sleeping Michonne, propped up on some pillows, both babies snuggled firmly in their mother's chest. Carl turned and looked at his father and saw the light and glee in Rick's face.

Carl grabbed hold on his father and began crying into his shoulder. After a few minutes, Carl asked to go in to see his mother.

"Not yet..but I need you to help me with something."

Carl nodded.****************************

Michonne didn't know how long she was asleep for. She kept her eyes closed but moved her hands across her bosom for the warmth of two little bodies. She felt her own sore tummy. He eyes sprang open in panic but instead her heart was instantly flooded with joy.

In her room, standing at the side her bed stood Rick and Carl holding the babies with huge smiles on their faces. Carl's face was tear stained. She reached out to Carl who rushed into his mother's arms. She laid sloppy kisses on his forehead.

She looked up to Rick who nodded to the other side of the room. She looked around to see Rosita, Maggie, Carol, Sasha, Enid, Denise and Dr. Bryce walking towards her. The ladies clearly have been crying...although Rosita and Enid was trying to put on a macho face.

Maggie had Judith in tow. Unable to contain herself, Judith broke free from Maggie's grip and ran to her mother on the bed. Michonne hugged her tightly, kissed her and started tickling her. Judith screamed out in delight. She looked at the ladies huddled at the foot of her bed.

They all had gifts in their hand and Carol balanced two trays, one in each hand carrying cookies and cake. Michonne started to tear up on seeing her family. They crowded around her on the bed. Rick, Carl and Dr. Bryce stood back to give them some room as they showered Michonne with hugs and kisses.

Carl soon became jealous and handed his baby brother to his father to join the others on the bed. Dr. Bryce laughed as he took the baby from him.

"Thank you.." Rick whispered.

"It's fine."

"No….I mean thank you for everything. For Michonne….for all that you did for her."

"I did all that I could have done but it was your kids who brought her back...you did. That wasn't me."

Rick smiled in agreement and happiness that his family was whole again.*************************

After the ladies have gone, Dr. Bryce and Rick carefully watched as Michonne moved around the room.

"How are you feeling?" Bryce asked

"Sore.."

"That's to be expected. Rotate your arm."

Michonne did but she winced in pain. She looked at the Dr.

"That's to be expected too." He smiled.

He instructed Michonne to sit on the bed while she examined her. She looked up at Rick who blew a kiss at her. She blushed and giggled silly. The Dr shook his head. After ten minutes of prodding and poking he gave

Michonne a clean bill of health with instructions to do no strenuous work and to take her pain meds on time. He left the room. After looking at each other for a minute...Michonne ease back on the bed and lay down. She patted the space in front of her for Rick.

He wasted no time. Once on the bed, he pulled her close and kissed her forehead. They laid there in comfort and bliss in each other aura.

"So what's the plan for this woman you captured?"

Rick shook his head vigorously...as he cupped Michonne's face in his hand.

"Not gonna talk about that right now. Just want to stay in this moment. She isn't going anywhere. We have some time."

Michonne conceded and before they knew it they both fell asleep. Carl looked in on his parents asleep on the bed. He quietly closed the door.****************


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: "Flushed Out"**

Later that night evening, Maggie, Rosita and the other women took up a few hours of their husbands sentry duties so that they can rest up and then visit with the children and Michonne now that she has woken up.

They were also assisted by the few original Alexandrians that they can trust until Abe and the others returned to their post on the wall. Carl, Enid and the rest of the Alexandria youth arm maintained regular foot patrol within the community.

Everyone was monitored. The guys freshened up at their homes and they met up at the Grimes residence. After an hour or so with their children who were in Denise and Tara's care they made their way upstairs. They stood nervously outside the door. Abe knocked.

"Come in."

Abe opened the door. They saw Michonne kneeling at the side of the bed playing with her baby son with Judith close by and Rick gently rocking his daughter in his arms. Upon seeing Michonne, Abe ran up to her. He hugged her, lifting her off the ground. She groaned from the pain on her right side of her body

"Hey hey..be gentle." Rick playfully warned.

"Sorry." He put her down.

Glen and Daryl stepped forward and presented her with flowers. Michonne blushed and hugged them both. She looked at Abe. He looked at Glen and Daryl and grinned, reaching into his back pocket.

"What is the one thing you love the most?"

Michonne squinted her eyes at first..then got excited. Rick, Glen and Daryl looked at them. Michonne then squealed in delight when Abe pulled out two large Big Cat chocolate bars. She hugged him again despite the pain.

"Suck up…" Daryl grumbled..folding his arm across his chest. Rick and Glen laughed at him.**********************

After the visit...the men resumed their duties and the women congregated back at the Grimes home. While they were downstairs, Rick filled her in about everything she missed while she was unconscious..about Paula….all of it. She sat thoughtfully, absorbing it all in. Rick sat opposite to her.

"What are you thinking?"

"It's been two days since the meeting in the church, right?"

"Yeah..so?"

"And no one even attempted to come near the gates?"

"No."

Michonne shook her head, very slowly.

"This guy is not going to make a break for it. As long as you have 24hrs patrol, he knows he wouldn't stand a chance of leaving here without being seen. Especially with everyone on high alert. He had the good sense to give up his walkie talkie so nothing can be found on him, even if random searches was conducted."

Rick looked at his wife trying to follow her reasoning.

"The longer we have the patrols...the longer he stays among us and the more damage he could do. He has been careful up until now and he knows we don't know who he is. The patrols are actually giving him the protection he needs to stay hidden here."

Suddenly, they heard a commotion outside and Abe screaming at the top of his lung. Michonne and Rick rushed to the windows and saw two men scuffling on the ground. Rick rushed downstairs.

"Hey! Break that shit up! Now! Abe yelled at the men.

Michonne watched as Daryl and Glen pulled apart the warring men, with Abe standing between them. She also made a secondary observation. She smiled. ***************

Twenty minutes later, Rick turned home in their bedroom.

"Is everything OK?"

"Yeah. Some accusations was made concerning the traitor among us that someone didn't like. So they decided to settle it with fists. Only a few bumps and bruises were suffered."

"Hmmmmm-"

"What?"

Michonne straddled her husband's lap then she kissed him. He licked his lips. He missed that.

"What's that for?"

She pulled back from him...slightly offended.

"Oh..so I need a reason to kiss you now?"

"Oh hell no!"

He pulled her close and kissed her. She looked at him more intently now.

"You trust me right?"

"Yeah..without question. Why?"

Michonne smiled. He saw the wheel turning in that attorney brain of hers.

"We need an Alexandrian we can really trust to pull this off."

"Ok...I'm on it!"

Rick left the room.*************************

The next morning the residents of the ASZ was on their best behaviour as per the warnings that Rick and Abe gave the night before. There were no more scuffles and it seems that the two men have settled their differences.

Paula had been given no food and very little water since her capture and Michonne is counting on her being in a weakened state to factor into her plans. Later that evening,Tobin came shouting from the north side of the wall.

"Someone's trying to escape!"

The residents began flooding out of their homes to the north entrance all hoping to get a glimpse of the traitor. Rick ran to the house where Abe was guarding Paula and almost immediately both Rick and Abe came running out from the house towards the direction of the north wall.

Suddenly, when the coast was deemed cleared, a figure witha backpack on their back quietly opened the door to their home. They dashed across the streets of Alexandria opposite to all the commotion straight into the house where Paula was being kept.

The man dashed cold water on a weak Paula.

"Come on! We need to get out of here! Now! Before they come back."

Because of the injuries to both of Paula's legs and one of her arms..the man was having difficulty getting her to feet.

Paula looked at the man in bewilderment.

"Who the f*ck are you?!"

"Who am I is not important! I guess there was more of us still here than I realized. Someone made a dash for the north gate. I thought I was the only one left."

The man tried to lift her again but she was just dead weight as her legs failed her. "Get up!" The man cursed at her.

"I can't! Just leave me."

"Are you crazy?! I can't leave you here! You've already said too much!"

The woman finally got to her feet and the man dragged her up the stairs…into the open. The streets were still clear.

' _I feel sorry for the poor sap that tried to make a run at the north wall. Now everyone's after them.'_ the man thought.

The man and Paula hobbled down the street towards the north side gate. He propped Paula against the wall while he tinkled with the locks and after a few minutes the locks fell open. Pulling Paula's weight against him on her feet they went through the gate.

They hurried towards the trees. It was the man who spoke first.

"What did you tell them?"

"Nothing that's useful." she laughed. "Stupid f*cks!"

"You told them about Dwight and Negan. What else did you tell Rick?!"

"I didn't tell them about Dwight."

"Yes you did. Rick told us at the church meeting."

The woman grabbed him by the shirt collar and they came to a screeching halt.

"I'm telling you..I didn't say anything about Dwight. Rick asked me about him like he already _knew_ who he was!"

The man stared at Paula baffled then slowly dropped her to the ground.

"If you didn't tell him then how….?

The man swallowed hard.

"Sh*t" he mumbled to himself.

"What?" Paula shouted at him.

The man closed his eyes, trying to recall if he made a mistake somewhere. He wanted to gag when he realized what he had done. He reached down to pick her up.

"We need to get home fast before…"

He didnt finished his sentence when he heard Paula sharply gasped as she looked passed his shoulder behind him. Then the voice boomed behind him.******************

"Don't…..f*cking….move."

The man froze in mid air as Paula slipped from his grasp back to the ground. The backpack slid from his slumped shoulders.

"Please..don't kill me!"

"Kneel." The voice commanded.

"Please don't…."

"I said to f*cking kneel!"

The man slowly obeyed as he watched the colour drained from Paula's face. Then he heard footsteps approaching him from behind to walk in front of him. He closed his eyes...he didn't want to see the bullet coming.

After a few seconds of staring at the culprit, the voice gasped.

"You…."**************************


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: "Plain Sight"**

The man refused to open his eyes as he already knows who's standing in front of him.

"Look at me!" Rick commanded

The man shook his head.

"Just shoot me and get it over with."

"You think you will escape this that easily?!"

The man made no response.

"Daniel!" Rick screamed at him.

The sound of the rage in Rick's voice startled Daniel, causing his eyes to jolt open. Before him stood a crazed Rick, a fuming Abe and a visibly shocked and confused Glen. Paula, who was crouched next to him, was white as a sheet. Daniel heard rustling behind him. He turned to investigate when the side of his cheek was met with the barrel of a shotgun.

"Don't…" It was Daryl.

He jammed the gun into Daniel's cheek so hard that it drew blood.

"Easy Daryl….easy." Rick said, eyes fixed firmly on Daniel. "We need him."

"We don't need him Rick. We already have Paula and she's talking!"

"Yes...you need him! Paula croaked out. "You need him."

Rick glanced over at the frightened woman as she quickly diverted her eyes to the ground.

"We need him Daryl. Trust me."

That was the last thing Daniel remembered..and Paula's screams.**********************

Daniel awoke in the same room he previously rescued Paula from. From the pain in his wrists he knew he was tied up. Blinking wildly, he scanned the room. The back of his head was throbbing from the pain of being knocked out. The whole band was there….Rick, Abe, Glen, Daryl, Carol, Maggie, Sasha, and Rosita.

Michonne was in the corner of the room, sitting on a chair. Paula was tied up and sitting on a chair on the other side of him. She began to whimper when Rick walked over to the small table and pick up the red handle machete.

"There's no need for that. It's already over. I'm done for."

He raised his head to face the others. All eyes were on him.

"I'm listening."************************

"It wasn't suppose to go down like this. Nobody was suppose to get hurt."

This statement infuriated Abe. He walked up and slugged Daniel hard. He spat out a tooth as blood seeped through his lips.

"I'm sorry!" Daniel shouted.

Abe hit him again.

"But people did get hurt asshole!"

Abe landed another blow

My wife lost her child.. _our child!_...How is that nobody not getting hurt?"

Daniel felt another blow

"Rosita was almost raped by one of these animals!"

Abe landed three more blows to Daniel's face before Sasha burst into tears. He rushed to comfort her...his knuckles bloodied and bruised.

"I'm sorry…" He whispered in her ear. They hugged each other tightly.

Daniel slowly gathered his thoughts through the blinding pain. He continued.

"The plan was to take the five of you hostage."

"That's what Wayne said to me! He called me _one of the five!"_ Sasha interjected. They turned to face her.

"Ava said the something similar just before Enid killed her. She said she did her part and got one of ' _them.'_

They were looking at Maggie now.

"Ok..that makes two. Who are the other three?"

Before Daniel could answer, Michonne spoke for the first time since he began his unbridled confession. She got up and walked towards them.

"They were talking about us….the wives of the council members. I heard Mason talking over the walkie talkie outside my house. He came for me. They knew that Sam and probably Wayne was dead. So that rules out Sasha."

Maggie was hit with a thought.

"Ava asked about Paula and Orlando. So that would have covered Rosita. That's four. Who's the fifth one?"

Rick counted the targets out loud.

"Michonne, Rosita, Maggie and Sasha."

When it hit him...Rick groaned.

"Carl." He whispered.

"Carl said Sam was trying to kill him so he shot him first." Maggie paused. "Sam wasn't trying to kill him..he was going to take him hostage!"

Daniel chuckled slightly.

"You think this is funny dipshit?! You killed nine of our people. Innocent people...children!" Daryl yelled, kicking him off the chair. Daniel sat up on the cold, bare floor.

"No... But I told them not to do this..that the Alexandrians were not pushovers, especially Rick's people. Dwight laughed at me."

Rick and his family feverishly tried to assimilate all that they were learning..

"That doesn't make any sense." Glen reasoned. "Michonne said they knew some of their people was already dead. Why continue? Why not just leave?"

Daniel looked at Michonne.

"Because of me."

They all looked at her.

"Mason said that 'he' was right..that they were in over their heads. They meant Daniel. But Dwight reasoned that if they could at least get their hands on me, they would be able to salvage the situation. As he so graciously put it I'm Rick's wife and I was pregnant. Dwight said I was golden...the icing on the cake. He believed that once they put a gun to my head…everyone else will fall in line. Including Rick."

Michonne walked over to Rick and took his hand in hers.

"We might not like to acknowledge it but we all know it's true."

Everyone remained quiet.

"What they didn't count on was us fighting back..all of us...even me..given my condition." Michonne now stood facing Daniel. He nodded at her reasoning.

"How do you factor into all of this?" Daryl asked.

"I didn't factor into anything at first that's why so many of us ended up in Alexandria. Rick doesn't trust anyone except for the people in this room. The ones before me never got close enough to any of you to get any information we could use. So we kept sending out our people to be picked up by your people. Yeah, he's the leader of this community but you guys are his family. That's something the residents here will never be."

He paused.

"But you trusted me"

Rick glared at Daniel.

"You talked me about your plans for the community. It was just shitty timing that you had the idea to redesign your homes to include a safety room in case of an attack and you shared this with me."

He bowed his head , shamefully.

"I was an architect and since we were on good speaking terms, you came to me. So I had access to your homes...and your lives. I gave this information to Dwight. He knew he had to attack before the homes were more secured."

In an instant, Rick pounced on Daniel and began beating him mercilessly.

"You were in our homes! My home! You endangered my family! My wife! My children!"

Rick kept hitting Daniel over and over...blood flew everywhere. Paula was horrified by Rick's savagery.

"Do something! He's killing him!"

Rosita stalked over to Paula pulling out a knife from behind her back. She stabbed it straight into Paula's injured hand. She screamed.

"Shut up bitch! We lost nine people...Sasha lost her child! He should be glad he is going this quick, this easy. You on the other hand…." Rosita chuckled.

When they were satisfied...Abe and Daryl pulled Rick off a badly beaten and semi conscious Daniel. Rick was drenched in sweat..covered in blinding rage and blood. The anger was choking him as he grappled at his throat for air with trembling, bloody hands.

Carol rushed to take Rick outside so he could calm himself.

Michonne looked down at Daniel in a messy heap on the floor.

"You remember what you said to me and Rick when you came to our house? You said you hope it lasted..our good life, our safety. You knew all along what your plan was..who these people were. Well I have news for you. This life..that we've built...what my family and the people of Alexandria toiled for is here to stay. We are not giving this place up without a fight. Something you and your people learned the difficult way."

After tying Daniel back on his chair and making sure Paula is properly secured, Michonne and the rest of her family began leaving the basement of the house.

"Wait." Daniel cried out weakly. "There is something I need to know. How did you know about Dwight? About Negan?"

Abe smiled broadly.

"Your friend here told us about Negan."

"And Dwight?"

"The coward dropped his walkie talkie after he shot Rick and Michonne.. We heard you call his name."

They all left the room, Rosita's knife still stuck in Paula's arm and three guards around the house*******************

When the posse arrived at Carol's house, Rick was already there, his hand bandaged. He was drinking some scotch in a glass...no ice. Michonne was in excruciating pain. She raced passed Rick at the kitchen counter and straight for sink.

Pulling out three pain pills from her pants pocket, she scuffed them down and drank straight from the kitchen faucet. She felt herself falling against the counter when familiar hand steadied her up.

They walked to the sofa and dropped themselves among the rest of the family, already lounging there. Abe was outside, talking to Carlton who was rubbing his jaw.

"Are you alright?"

No! You hit me really hard man."

"Sorry...had to make it look legit." The men looked at each other. "We good?"

Carlton nodded. "I'm just glad it's over."

The men shook hands and they went their separate ways. Abe went inside.**********************

No one said anything for a good half hour. No one knew what to say.

"That was a good plan Michonne. How did you know it would work?" Glen asked.

"Honestly I didn't. I didn't know how to resolve this. It came to me after I saw those two men fighting in the streets earlier. I saw the crowd it drew and it was just a fist fight. I just calculated that if we made an alarm about someone trying to escape, everyone would want to get in on the action. Everyone...except the culprit. If they were watching, and I suspected they would be, I knew they would have taken the opportunity to run."

"Yeah..but you took a big risk that they would go to Paula first. Daniel took a risk, trying to get Paula out. If it was me...I was leaving her ass behind." Daryl stated.

"Me too." Glen agreeing.

"Daniel couldn't leave Paula. She knows way too much. He had to take the risk. I for one am glad because it was his undoing."

An eerie silence filled the room.

"You think this is over Rick?"

Rick shook his head.

"Not by a long shot."************************

The next day, there was a different atmosphere in the air in ASZ. The mood was lighter. The council women however are still keeping an eye on everyone. Michonne has finally been given the all clear to breast feed her twins. The men are back at the house dealing with Daniel and Paula. Rick started to question them again and he directed all his questions to Daniel.

"How many of you are out there?"

Paula opened her mouth to answer but frozed when Rick shot a death stare at her.

"Paula told us twenty."

"I can't give you an exact figure but it's certainly more than twenty." Daniel answered.

Pissed that Paula lied, Glen ripped the filetted piece of skin off Paula's injured thigh. Daniel looked at her pitifully as she cried out in pain. Fresh blood leaked from the wound.

"How many camps?

"Including my own, four."

"Four?!" Glen was shocked.

"Can you draw us a map?"

"Yes."

As Daniel drew the map, Rick looked at the swollen, bulging face of the man who almost cost him his family. When he think about how many times he left Michonne alone at the house with this man...what he could have done to her...to their unborn children.

When he think about every kiss he gave her could have been their last...that Carl could have lost his mother for a second time, that Judith would have grown up with her mother..he began to seethe with volcanic rage.

He thought about the pain that Abe and Sasha is going through because of this man..the child they lost. He thought about the emotions that Daryl must have felt hearing Rosita's screams from the next room as she was about to be violated.

He thought about the horror etched on Glen's face as he saw a gun being held to Maggie's head. How Elsa could have been motherless today and Glen a widower. The nine lives that were lost, including two innocent children who bled out in their mother's arms.

Rick began rubbing the bridge of his nose and fingering the weapon at his side. Glen noticed. He knows all too well what that means. When Daniel was finished he handed the map to Abe.

"What the shit is this? There's only one building here!"

"I said that there were four camps. I didn't say I knew where they were."

Abe stared at him.

"Tell me this. If Dwight is running the two of you, how come you didn't know each other?"

"Dwight's from the main camp. When you choose a crew to control...you pick from all the camps. I am new to my camp, that's why we don't know each other."

"So basically, you two are from two different camps."

Daniel nodded.

No one said anything. It was now Rick's turn to speak again.

"I trusted you. I let you into my home and every home in this community and people died."

Rick watched as Daniel's hand was outstretched on the table twiddling with the pen he used to draw the map.

"Are you going to kill me."

Suddenly, in one lightening speed movement, Rick pulled out his machete and brought it down on Daniel's hand, severing hand palm from wrist.

"No. Death's too good for you."

Daniel gasped in disbelief as he saw his severed hand rolled to the other side of the table, still clutching the pen. He then fell on the floor, letting out a blood curdling scream as Paula fainted.**************************


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: "United"**

As Rick walked home he mulled over the information he just received from Daniel. Four camps is alot so this group is larger than he thought. When Paula wakes up she will draw a map to her camp as well if she values the skin she's in.

If they can at least hit these two camps, eliminating everyone it may even the playing field where numbers are concerned. But they still need to find this Negan and bring him to heel because he is clearly a threat to his people.

When he arrived home he greeted everyone and kissed the twins who Carl and Enid had. They were trying to burp them as they had just been fed. He enquired about Michonne.

"She just went upstairs to change."

Rick went up. He pushed open their bedroom door and on walking in he saw their bathroom door open. He peered in to see Michonne inspecting herself in the bathroom mirror.

She was dressed in light pink cotton panties..obviously for comfort and one of his white vest. He watched as she carefully inspected the bullet wound. She tried to lift her arm. She winced. She then saw him in the mirror.

"Hey."

"Hey."

He took off this brown jacket and slightly blood stained white T-shirt. He walked in and held her from behind, wrapping his hands around her waist. She smiled. He then raised the vest to reveal the c-section mark on her tummy.

"That's gonna leave a scar." Michonne observed.

"A sexy ass scar."

Michonne laughed as he nuzzled his face in the burrow of her neck.

"Did you kill them?"

Rick looked at her and she gestured to his bloodied clothes on the floor behind them. He turned her around to face him.

"No."

"Well, you did _something._ What did you find out?"

Raising her by her hips, he put her to sit on the bathroom counter and stood between her thighs. He again wrapped his hands around her waist.

"They have four camps?"

"Four?!" Michonne said in disbelief.

"Yeah. That means they have a lot of people."

"No shit. How are we going to handle this?"

She studied this information abit.

"Can you trust this information from Paula?"

"Actually, Daniel gave up this information easily. Figured that I wouldn't kill him if he talked."

"Hmmmm."

"Daniel drew a map to his camp. Apparently Paula's from another camp. When she wakes up, she will draw a map to her camp as well."

"Wake up?"

Rick smirked at her.

"Forget it. I don't want to know. She should be grateful she's still breathing."

"We will hit the two camps. Even the numbers a little bit."

Michonne nodded in agreement.

"Maybe Jesus could help us. He could lead a team and you could lead a team." Michonne suggested.

"I don't want to leave the Hilltop community vulnerable."

"Ok. Then let Jesus lead some of our people. We have more numbers than the Hilltop and our people are more experienced. We could still have two teams with people still remaining to defend Alexandria."

Rick nodded.

"Sounds good."

"Besides, I can't go."

Rick pulled slightly away from her.

"Remember what the Dr Bryce said. No strenuous work."

"Yeah...but I can't sit here and _not_ do anything if we are attacked. I will have to fight."

"True." Rick mumbled.

"Remember there is more at stake now….a lot more." She kissed him. "Let's just hope it doesn't come to that...OK."

They kissed passionately for a couple of minutes.

"We need to visit Eugene. He doesn't know what happened here..what happened to us."

"He knows the drill. If he doesn't hear from us at certain times, he knows what to do." Michonne reminded him.

Rick nodded.

"But first, I need to address the community."**************

The residents in the church was quiet, waiting for Rick to speak.

"Firstly, I want to say thank you for making every effort in keeping this community safe. To those of who may feel that you were singled out, I want to assure you that it wasn't about you. What I did was not to target you but to flush out the traitor among us. I can tell you that at this time the threat that was within the community has been contained. As you all may have known by now, this person has been caught and is under heavy guard as he is being questioned extensively."

Rick looked around to gauge the crowd's reaction.

"What we have learned is that there is a group of people outside these walls that want our community...to take it from us. They call themselves the Saviours. They didn't succeed because of all of us and who we are as a people...as a community. We fought back. They underestimated us and we took them down."

He paused.

"Unfortunately, we lost nine of our own. As we mourn the loss of our friends, we must take heart that it could have been worst…much worst. We have two of their people and I promise you that we will find out more of who these people are. What we now know is that they have four camps so their numbers are substantially larger than ours."

Rick heard a few gasps in the crowd. He raised his hand to calm them.

"We already have the location of one of the camps and very soon the other. These people are dangerous and a threat to us and the best way to deal with threats is to eliminate them. No decision has been taken as I want to hear what you all have to say."

Some people nodded in agreement. Melissa got up to speak.

"These people killed my husband! My girls bled out in my arms in front of me! They took everything from me!" She wiped the tears from her eyes. "We kill them all!"

Rick looked around at the faces sitting before him. Everyone was affected by the assault on the community but there's no doubt that other than Sasha and Abe, Melissa has suffered the most.

"I know this is a lot to take in but we will hold another meeting to make final decisions when we get the location of the other camp."*******************************

Abe and Daryl was packing the RV for their trip to the ammo factory. Rick was at the front porch of his house. He was kissing Michonne, with Carl and Enid nearby. Carl rolled his eyes at them while Enid giggled.

He had already kissed the twins and Judith who were inside the house. Carol brought out a pecan pie to give to Eugene. Rick took it and walked to the RV. Abe and Daryl walked up their respective wives.

Rosita said something in Spanish which only Daryl alone would understand and they kissed. Abe hugged and kissed Sasha and whispered in her ear.

"I'll be back. I promise."

Sasha hugged him tighter. Tobin was already in the driver's seat. Carol blew a kiss to him. He grinned. The men entered the vehicle and drove to the gate. Glen and Carlton was there.

"We will be safe." Glen assured the men. He opened the gate and they drove out.**********************

 **One week ago**

Eugene and Vicki was inspecting the quality of the latest produced ammunition at the factory when Spencer shouted down to him from the lookout above.

"You hear that?!"

They looked up at him.

"What?" Vicki asked.

Spencer's twin sister Dharia and younger brother Reed came racing from the back.

"I heard it. It was gunshots! I think it came from home!" Dharia shouted

"Has Rick check in yet?" Eugene asked.

Dharia shook her head. Eugene stopped the factory machines. Soon, the facility was quiet. Then suddenly they heard more gunshots, abit clearer this time. They stared at each other.

"What do we do Eugene?!"

"You know what we do. We go into lockdown."************************************

When the factory was found months ago by Eugene and Glen, he knew it was a goldmine. In order to protect it, Rick decided to station Eugene there along with other persons to help him get the factory up and running.

Vicki, Eugene's girlfriend agreed to go with him while Spencer and his siblings volunteered to go as well. Spencer and his twin sister Dharia had gotten quite good with weaponry and their younger brother Reed was an excellent lookout and is quick on his feet.

Except for Eugene and Vicki, rotations were to be done every two weeks for the other persons. After two months of rotations...Spencer, Dharia and Reed asked to be permanently stationed at the factory.

The other residents readily agreed as some of them was getting home sick. Rick agreed to their request only on the condition that they tell him immediately when they need a break to come home.

It was also agreed that Rick would check in on them everyday via walkie talkie and have regular visits to the factory to monitor the progress. In the case of emergency Eugene and crew was to maintain walkie talkie silence until Rick contacted them. Enough food was given to them to last atleast one month in the event something happens.**************************

Tobin drove the RV towards the factory. They stopped a few feet away, got out of the vehicle and walked slowly towards the building. From the defending silence, he could tell that the factory was on lockdown. He talked into the walkie talkie.

"Eugene."

No response.

"Eugene."

They heard a noise that drew their attention up towards a small opening. It was Spencer pointing his gun at them. Realizing it was Rick, he made a signal and they heard the sliding of metal and the large metal door of the factory slid open. Eugene and Vicki came out to greet them.

"What the hell happened back home?!"*******************

Eugene, Vicki, Spencer, Dharia and Reed sat down, looking at Rick and the others speechless. They couldn't believe what Rick had told them...what they had just heard.

"Melissa is probably so devastated!" Vicki moaned

"Is Michonne ok? Are the babies OK?"

"They are fine. Michonne is recovering nicely and the babies wasn't harmed."

Dharia looked at Abe and then she hugged him.

"I'm so sorry. Poor Sasha!"

Abe wore a pained expression on his face.

"So what's our next move?" Spencer enquired.

"Well that's why we are here. We are going to a strike back at these Saviours. We have the location of one camp and very soon know the other. We came here to stock up on ammo."

"Well, we have enough ammo for a small war. These people sound really dangerous though."

"They are...that's why we will be asking Jesus to joined us. We need two teams to hit both locations."

"Ok then. Start loading up!"***********************

It was evening when Rick and the others returned home to Alexandria. After off loading the ammunition and stocking the armoury, Rick walked into his living room to find Jesus cooing over the babies. He smiled.

"Just the person I wanted to see.*********************

 **The next couple of chapters will delve into Renée and Jasmine adjusting to now calling the Sanctuary their home, their relationship with Negan and Negan's present reaction to Dwight's failure to successfully take over Alexandria.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: "Home"**

 **Three years ago**

Marcus watched quietly as Renée walked up the steps to the second floor, straight into the room she and Jasmine had previously occupied and closed the door. She didn't look too good. He watched as Jasmine happily reunited with her friends.

He enquired about Negan and was told that he was out at one of the other outposts. He then gave instructions to be prepared for the huge walker herd that could possible be heading their way. The other men began making preparations.********************

Renée was alone in the familiar room. Suddenly there was a knock. She didn't answer but the person entered the room anyway. It was Misty. She was dressed in a buttercup yellow lace one piece lingerie with white high heels.

"Glad you're back."

"What?"

"Glad you came back...I saw when you left. Didn't think you would be back so soon."

Renee said nothing. She tried to get the huge walker herd that was heading straight for them out of her head. Beads of sweat was slowly starting to form on her forehead. Misty was babbling on but Renée just couldn't hear her.

She had never seen so many at the same time. She kept thinking about how close they came to possible death if Marcus hadn't been there. Her heart started to beat rapidly and she clutched her chest...her vision blurry.

"I...can't…breathe." She whispered hoarsely as she tries to catch her breath.

"What?" Misty asked.

Misty looked at her and saw that she was sweating profusely and clasping at her throat.

"Are you OK?! What's wrong?!"

Misty was now in a panic. Renée opened her mouth but no words came out. She staggered to her feet, heading for the door. ' _Just need some air!'_ Renée reached out for the door but it was too late. She felt herself free falling as everything turned black.************************

"Mom?"

Renée heard the voice as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Mom?"

"Hmmmm."

"Are you OK? You had a panic attack." Her eyes flew open now. Jasmine was sitting at her side in an unfamiliar room.

"What?! I haven't had one of those in years."

"Yeah. You passed out. He brought you here."

"Who and where is here?"

She tried to sit up and felt sharp pain in her side. She winced.

"Zane. You're in their medical room."

Renee glanced around the room and saw Zane standing at the doorway looking at her. She turned away looking at her daughter

"I'm good now."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. Jasmine looked at her mother and then looked at Zane.

"Ok." Then she left. Renee came off the bed and faced Zane.

"Thank you."

Zane nodded and left.*************************

The next morning Renee was chatting with Misty when Zane asked to speak to her. She followed him to the medical room.

"Tell us what we need."

She looked at him confused.

"You're the doctor here now. This room is your charge. We will stock it with whatever you need."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah….just like that."

Renée walked around the room checking the cupboards. It was near empty, except for some bandages, a few boxes of Panadol and some of the medicines that they took from her. The room itself just had a bed...nothing more.

"You'll need alot more than a few boxes of Panadol."

"Give me a list."

Zane gave her a pen and note pad. After five minutes of furious scribbling, she handed him the list.

"These are just the basics..some vitamins, painkillers and antibiotics. They can treat almost anything."

Zane looked at the almost thirty items on the list.

"Look...just get what you can. I'll make it work."

Zane left.*******************************

Later that day Renée went to investigate the crowd of people gathered outside in the courtyard. Jasmine was already there. There she saw the walker herd moving along the wall on the east side of the compound. They were led by some of Negan's men..Marcus among them.

It was significantly smaller than she had seen few days earlier. The remaining men were at the east gate making sure the herd moved along without breaching it. Jasmine moved next to her and quietly held her hand. After some time Renee turned and went inside, not wanting to think about what could have been if she and Jasmine was still out there.**************************

After about an hour Marcus came to see her.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes..but that wasn't what we saw."

"Some of us went out to meet the herd earlier on. Those people were already gone. We tried to divert them but it was too much so we split off into two groups. One group took half and led them back west. The rest of us continued to make sure they passed here safely."

"Well, it worked."

Just then, Jasmine and their friends walked by them.

"I never thanked you for saving me...saving me daughter out there before. We could have gotten trapped in that clinic. We could have…" Renée couldn't finish the sentence.

"Negan told me to stay out there...to keep an eye on you and Jasmine. Make sure you both were safe."

Renee said nothing.****************************

Over the next two days people would come to see her on their various health issues...a cold, fever or a burning sensation when they go to the bathroom. Zane managed to get some of the things she asked for but overall the men at the sanctuary was relatively healthy...nothing major was detected.********************************

It would be another three days until she saw Negan...or rather hear him and his exploits in the adjoining room. The cries..the moans...the screams of estacy. Still, somehow she managed to get some sleep. *****************************

Jasmine woke up earlier than usual. She stepped outside into the corridor where two of Negan's wives Tiffany and Allison was seated. They wore matching blue two piece lingerie and were bare feet.

She frowned after they grinned at her. She looked away. They laughed and went inside. Few minutes later Negan came outside.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

Jasmine seized this opportunity to get somethings off her chest.

"Mom told me the choices you give to all the women who come here."

Negan turned and gave Jasmine his undivided attention.

"I know you haven't asked her yet….to be one of your wives or be sent away to one of the other outposts. I am telling you right now….my mother isn't going to be parading around in her underwear for you. I don't want to hear her groans through the walls while you f*ck her."

Jasmine stared Negan in his face, folding her arms across her chest.

"I know she will do anything to protect me...to keep me safe and she might actually consider your offer if she feels that she doesn't have a choice. She already gave up everything for me. I will not let her lose herself too."

There was some seconds of pause between them. ' _This kid has some balls coming at me like that. Clearly she wants to stay but not at her mother's expense. I could respect that….I will respect that.'_ Negan thought. He smiled at her.

"Ok."

Jasmine was taken by surprise by his casual response.

"Ok then. Glad we had this talk." She turned and went inside. A smile appeared on Negan's lips.***************************

Renee was checking out some of the new medicines that Zane had brought her when Negan came to the medical room.

"How are you settling in?"

She turned around startled...jumping back against the table. He was smiling at her.

"I am good...Jasmine is good."

He nodded and turned to leave.

"We need to talk."

Negan walked in the room, closed the door and strolled up to her.

"I wanted to thank you for taking us back in. Jasmine likes it here and she is safe. That is my main concern right now. I am grateful to you for that. But let me make something clear..I am here in my capacity as a doctor and nothing else…... _nothing else!_ And I will not let you separate us either for any reason whatsoever. Understand?"

Negan walked closer to her….invading her personal space. He was taller than she realized so she had to look up at him at an uncomfortable angle when he's this close to her.

"I spoke to Jasmine earlier and she made some of her concerns clear to me. Firstly….This is your home now….yours and Jasmine's and I have no intention of separating you from your daughter or making you do anything you don't want to. Secondly…. I want you right here. I have you right where I want you."**************************


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25: "Insight"**

It has been three uneventful months since living at the Sanctuary. Negan's men have brought in a couple other people and alot more supplies and Jasmine has fully settled in her new surroundings.

Renée have observed that Negan has been spending less time with his wives and more time with the group of teenagers that Jasmine hangs out with. In fact, he has been spending a lot of time with Jasmine, teaching her different things.

Jasmine asked her several times to go out on supply runs with Negan and the other teenagers which she flat out refused to allow every time. She remembers their argument two days ago.

' _Mom...I need to help out more around here. Trent and the others are going out!'_

' _I don't care what the others are doing. You don't need to be out there anymore!'_

' _You keep treating me like a child! I'm 16yrs old! You are embarrassing me!'_

' _Well if me trying to protect you is embarrassing so be it! I will embarrass you till the day I die!'_

' _Mom...pleaseeee. Negan and his men will be there. They will protect me.'_

' _No!'_

Renee was in the medical room just finishing up with a patient when Negan walked in. He waited till they left and closed the door. He sat on one of the new chairs in the room. He looked at her.

"What?"

"You know you're not doing her any favours right?"

She folded her arms across her chest.

"Telling me how to raise my child now?"

"I would be a fool to do that."

"Good. I've been doing it since she was born. I'd like to think I know what I am doing."

"I'm not questioning your abilities as a parent. I've seen what she can do and she have been training with the others. She is capable of taking care of herself….of handling her own."

"I know that!"

Negan got up and walked towards her.

"So what's the problem?"

Renée didn't answer him. He backed away and turned to leave.

"She needs to use her skills out there...out in the real world. Otherwise, she will become weak. That's not protecting her." He opened the door and left.*************************************

Four days later, Negan got word about a serious flu outbreak at one of his outpost. He, Renée, Sheldon, Zane and Marcus head out in two vehicles. When they arrive outside, they met some off the unaffected men in a temporary tent which they pitched in the yard of the compound.

One of the men Trevor, greeted them.

"This isn't just a cold man. A cold doesn't do that."

Renee gave everyone gloves and face masks but decided that only she and one other person should go in and assess the situation to minimise the risk of all of them getting infected. Still pissed at Negan, she chose Marcus to go in with her.

Once inside, Renée understood what Trevor meant. Three of the men were already dead and about a dozen others lay, groaning in pain on their beds. She began her examination. After about fifteen minutes. She and Marcus came outside but kept a few feet away from the others.

"Three are already dead! She shouted at them. "There are six others that are too far along to help. The rest may have a chance but I don't have the meds here or at home to help them."

They all stood around not knowing what to so when a thought hit her. She turned to Marcus.

"The clinic where you found me...did you guys ever go back there?"

"Since the herd passed there….no. We never went back."

Renee turned and began shouting to Negan and the rest.

"The clinic where you found me have the meds that I need to treat the rest. Sheldon...I need you to take Jasmine.. She'll know what I need."

Renée and Marcus went back inside. When Sheldon turned to go to the vehicle Negan stopped him.

"You stay. I'll go for Jasmine and pick up the meds." Negan got in the vehicle and drove off.************************

Jasmine didn't hesitate on hearing her mother's request. She got in the vehicle and they drove off. When they pulled up to the clinic, there were a few walkers lingering outside.

"You ready?"

"Yeah."

They both jumped out and went in full killing mood. Within a minute..all the walkers were dead. They entered the clinic and there was two walkers inside.

"All yours." Negan said stepping aside. In one swift move Jasmine took them down. Negan was very impressed.

"That was good."

She smiled proudly. They then began looking through the boxes for the meds that Renée wanted.

"What did you mean when you said that your mom has been taking care of you by herself all your life? Where's your dad?"

"I don't know. Never met him."

They continued rummaging through the boxes.

"What do you mean?"

"It means….I don't know who he is."

"Your mom never told you who your father is?"

Jasmine shook her head.

"Everytime I ask about him, she'd get upset and clam up for days. I caught her crying a few times too. I just stop asking after awhile."

"So she never married or had a boyfriend?"

"I have never seen mom out on a date. Guys have asked her out but she would always back out at the last minute."

"It must have been tough growing up with just you and your mom alone."

Jasmine gave him a half hearted smile.

"You can't miss what you never had... right?"

Despite Jasmine's words..he could see her eyes glistening. She turned away from him. Soon after, they found what they were looking for.

"Yes!" Jasmine looked at all the other meds lying around. "I think we should take all of it. Some of these might really come in handy."

"Negan nodded. They quickly bagged everything up and drove off.***************************

After dropping Jasmine back at the Sanctuary, Negan quickly drove to the outpost. When he arrived, they were already burning the bodies of the dead men. Three more died since he left.

Negan slid the drugs in a bag over them and they went inside to administer it to the men that could be saved. Renee first gave herself and Marcus a strong dose of the antivirals and then gave it to the other men.

Ten minutes later they came back out, still keeping their distance.

"What are we going to do with the other three men? We can't just leave them here."

Negan nodded to Marcus.

"Wait here." He instructed Renée.

Negan walked to the back of the truck while Marcus went inside. Soon Marcus began dragging the bodies of the three remaining men out into the courtyard, halfway up between themselves and the others.

"What are you doing?" Renee asked.

"Taking precautions." Marcus replied as he dragged out the last remaining one.

She looked up and saw Negan approached the men wearing a face mask and gloves with a baseball bat, wrapped in barbed wire in hand.

"What is he doing?" Renee asked Marcus confused.

She turned in time to see Negan standing over one of the men on the ground, bat raised above his head. The dying man raised his hand feebly towards Negan.

"What is he doing?!" Renée screamed.

She watched in horror as Negan brought the bat down on the man's head.

"No!"

Renee ran towards Negan as he raised the bat again. Marcus tackles her to the ground.

"Stop!" She screamed.

Negan slammed the bat in the man's head again. She heard bone crushed with the second blow. As she and Marcus struggled on the ground Negan hit the man a third time. He was dead. He then walked and stood over the second man, bat raised in hand.

"Oh god no!"

Renee cried as Negan struck the first blow to his second victim. The man started to make gurgling noises..one of his eyes popped out. Seeing this, Marcus flipped Renée over on her back to face him.

He planned himself firmly between her legs and covered her mouth over the face mask to muffle her screams. She wiggled under him.

"Look at me!" He demanded. "It needed to be done!"

Renee stared up at him through wet, frightened eyes. All she heard was the sound of the bat crushing bone and her muffled cries.

Soon it was over. Marcus slowly released her mouth and lifted himself off of her. She turned herself around on hands and knees and looked in front of her.

Standing a few steps away directly in front of her was Negan staring down at her….bat in hand. It was covered in brains..dripping with blood at his feet. Her eyes drifted to the right and she saw the bodies of the men..their heads hollowed out and mushy on the now red stained concrete floor.

It was too much for her. She held her stomach and quickly removing her mask….empty the contents of her stomach on the ground infront of her. Marcus reached out to her but she batted his hands away in disgust.

After five minutes on all fours, she struggled to her feet on shaky legs and walked up to Negan. He saw the anger in her face. After wiping away her tears, she slapped him hard across his face. He didn't move….he didn't flinched...he just stood there...looking at her.

"Damn you!" She whispered as she stalked off to the vehicles**********************************


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26: "No Apologies"**

The drive from the outpost to the Sanctuary started off in complete silence….Negan, Marcus and Renée in one car with Sheldon and Zane in the other. It was Marcus who spoke first.

"Sorry you saw that."

"Dont talk to me….he just killed three people."

"You can't kill people who are already dead."

Negan who was driving, looked up in the rear view mirror at Renée in the back seat.*************************

When they arrived back home Negan, Renée and Marcus went into immediate quarantine for one week for the meds to take effect. After administering Negan the medication, she left instructions with Zane for Jasmine to do the same to everyone else at the Sanctuary.

"Where's mom?"

"She, Negan and Marcus have been isolated. They may have been exposed to whatever virus that was at the outpost. It's just a safety precaution."

"How long will she be in there?"

"A week…..maybe more."

"Ok."

Jasmine enlisted the help of Trent, Robbie, Isaac, Sarah and Valerie to help in the process. ************************

Negan, Renée and Marcus was placed in two small rooms at the back of the Sanctuary. It appears to have been guard rooms, as they were equipped with a small bath and a cot for sleeping. At Renée's insistence, she was given a room for herself and so their isolation began********************

The first persons to be given the antivirals were the wives. Being Negan's bed mates do have its perks. Up in their bedroom Jasmine had just finished with Misty, Tiffany, Allison, Heidi and Nora. It was now Debbie's turn. She held out her hand.

"You think you and your mother are so special huh?"

Jasmine, and Sarah who was next to her looked at Debbie.

"What?"

"You heard me."

Jasmine decided to ignore her and administered the medication. Sarah swallowed hard.

"Hey! I'm talking to you...you little c*nt!"

Debbie grabbed Jasmine's hand. Jasmine immediately pulled away and slapped Debbie.

"Why..you bitch!"

Debbie rose up but Jasmine grabbed a needle and held it to Debbie's neck. She froze. Zane, who was outside the room, heard the commotion and rushed into the room. He saw the needle being held to Debbie's neck.

"What the hell is going on?"

No one answered but it wasn't hard figure out what was the issue.

"Jasmine…"

Jasmine slowly put down the needle. Then she, Sarah and Valerie left the room.*********************

The whole process was done an hour later. Jasmine, Trent, Sarah, Valerie, Isaac and Robbie were all carrying in boxes of stuff to the storeroom.

"We have an audience."

They looked up and saw Debbie glaring down at them...at Jasmine.

"What's her problem?" Jasmine asked.

"You and your mom."

"What do we have to do with this?"

"Rumour has it...Debbie's in love with Negan…"

"So?"

Valerie and Sarah stopped and looked at her in disbelief.

"Girl….Negan has the hots for your mom!"

Jasmine began to shake her head vigorously.

"No way..no way…. No way!"

" _Yes way!"_ Valerie and Sarah said together as they giggled and walked off.******************************

The truth is Jasmine have noticed the interest Negan has taken in her mother and in her too. They don't get any special treatment but Negan has been looking out for her and her mother...that can't be denied.

At first, she told herself that it was just newbie syndrome playing off but they have been here for more than three months. They are not newbies anymore as other persons have been added to the community after them.

She doesn't think that Debbie will be crazy enough to try to harm her or her mother but still she will keep and eye on this one.******************************

"What the hell is wrong with you?! Are you crazy?!"

Nora was shouting at Debbie in their bedroom.

"Going off on the Dr's kid like that?!"

Heidi chuckled from in the corner of the room. She was painting her nails.

"Are you girls blind? She's jealous of the doctor."

"Shut up!" Debbie shouted at Heidi.

The others turned and looked at Debbie.******************

The one week quarantine flew by really fast. The events that happened at the outpost kept playing over and over in her mind. ' _Who is Negan?'_ To be on the safe side and not put her daughter health in jeopardy, Renée occupied one of the rooms at the end of the second floor. She needed time to think.

When Negan came out of quarantine, he heard some disturbing news from Zane. Since the flu had killed some of his men, Negan decided to make some changes as to some of the residents here at the Sanctuary.

After Trevor reported that the men are getting better, he selected fifteen people to fill the void that was left by the flu. Three days later, those fifteen people...including Debbie was gone.

When Jasmine realized what Negan had done she thanked him. Now that things was well with Jasmine, he needed to smooth things over with her mother.*********************

Later that evening, Renee had just taken a shower and come out of the bathroom when there was a knock. Thinking it was Misty she answered.

"Come in."

Her back was turned to the door when she heard it opened and closed.

"We need to talk."

Renée turned around...shocked.

"What are you doing here? I don't want to talk to you."

Negan crossed the room to close the gap between them.

"Stay away from me! Stay away!"

Negan saw the disgust in her eyes as she lashed out at him. She slapped him hard.

"Stop."Negan said. "Listen to me!"

Renee kept hitting him. He grabbed her hands. She jerked away from him causing them to imbalance and fall back on the bed. He pinned her hands above her head.

"Hey! I'm not going to hurt you! Stop fighting me!"

She stopped struggling when he braced his hips between her legs….fully pinning her down. She glared up at him, clearly pissed off.

Their breathing was rapid and out of sync. Within a few minutes, it fell within a rhythm….slow and steady. She turned her head to not face him. He whispered in her ear.

"I will never hurt you or Jasmine but I make no apologies for what I've done..what I did to those men. I will do it again. They were sick and a threat. I eliminate threats. That's how I keep my men alive...how I will keep you and Jasmine alive. My only fear is that you will allow my decisions and our differences to jeopardize Jasmine's safety and security. Don't do it."

After a minute, he slowly released her hands and she turned to look at him. Their bodies meshed perfectly against each other in the contours of the bed.

Slowly, Renée pulled herself from up underneath him...as he reclined to sit his knees and heels. She folded her arms across her chest.

"You bashed those men head in..you killed them...your own men."

"Yes."

"Have you killed other people? Healthy people?"

Negan hesitated

"Yes."

Shaking her head, Renée closed her eyes and clasped her hands in her lap. Soon tears dripped from her eyes unto her hands. She said nothing for a few minutes as she process everything she is hearing now.

"So what? As long as I stay here I'm suppose to live with this? Knowing that you are out there…. _killing people_ , taking their stuff for us to survive?!"

"The world is an ugly place..people do ugly things to survive."

"No!" She said….shaking her head. "The world may be ugly but we don't have to be ugly...or do ugly things." She cries.

"Yes..we do…"

"I can't expose my child to this!"

"You can't shield her from it forever either."

Renee covered her mouth to stifle her cries.

"I don't think I can do this!"

"We do what we have to do to protect the people we care about. The people we value most."

She looked at him and saw something she never did before. He swallowed hard and stared at her intensely. The energy in the room changed as the meaning of his last words hung between them….the words needing no interpretation.

"Don't...please. I can't do this right now." She whispered.

"Ok." Negan quietly left her room.*************************

"You did what?"

Zane couldn't believe what Negan just told him. Negan looked at his friend.

"So let me get this straight...you held this woman down in her bedroom….basically told her you kill people and take their stuff…that you have no regrets doing it...will do it again if you had the chance and then told her you care about her…..Is that right?"

Negan shrugged. "Basically…..yes."

"How did she react?"

"Not good."

Zane threw his hands in the air

"Of course she wouldn't! What did you expect?"

Zane sat next to her friend.

"Look….I know you like her alot….OK. I saw it the minute you saw her but she's not the typical woman. She is a single mother in a difficult world who has proven to you that her child is the most important thing in the world to her. So as bad as the world is...she will not want to expose her daughter to certain unsavoury things…..you know...like bashing people's heads in."

"I think she gonna leave….again."

"I don't think so. She left once and had to come back. Jasmine is safe and happy here. She can't deny that. If she leaves...it will be just the two of them but in here...Jasmine has many protectors."

"Yeah...but is that enough?"

I think it is.. Look she knows you have a violent side and now a gentler side. Let her decide what she wants.**********************

Later that night Renee left her room at the end of the hall to the room she once slept in. She quietly opened the door. There, Jasmine was sound asleep. Everything she has done was for her...to protect her..to keep her safe.

She doesn't agree nor support Negan's methods. He is dangerous but he can provide the one thing she wants….safety for her daughter. Out there, its just the two of them. In here..there are many eyes, protective and watchful eyes.

Jasmine is happy here but at what expense? She thought.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: "Settled"**

 _ **Acknowledgements:**_ _ **I want to thank all those who have read and been following my fan fiction story - TWD Chronicles. It is an honour to read all your comments and reviews on the actions of all the characters.**_

 _ **Each character's decision has a ripple effect on the people they love and plays an integral part of the events that transpire next...positively or negatively.**_

 _ **Your comments have been inspirational and have fueled me to see this story through till the very end. I would therefore like to encourage you to keep reading and reviewing as this TWD saga continues!**_

 **Three days later**

Negan walked into the medical room.

"Zane said you were looking for me."

"Can you please close the door."

Negan did. He could see that their encounter days before was weighing heavily on her….his words stinging her. He feared the worst.

"You're leaving...aren't you?"

"Please..allow me say what I have to say before I change my mind."

Negan said nothing.

"I don't approve or condone what you are doing. It is wrong but you have something I need...not for me but for Jasmine. When we was out there all these years since this sh*t started, I always worried about dying and leaving her behind. If I leave and go back out there and something happens to me...she will be all alone. I am the only parent she has and I can't risk that."

Renee began to choke up. Negan took a step towards her….Renée took a step back.

"She has already settled here and has something resembling a normal life as can be expected given the circumstances and she is happy. I can't rip that away from her despite how I feel."

"Renee…"

Renée's eyes were brimming with tears. He cares alot for this woman and her daughter..more than he even realized until this moment.

He didn't ask her to be one of his wives because he didn't want to be with her like that. He rarely visit any of his wives anymore because of her, choosing to spend more time with her and Jasmine.

At this very moment he has the urge to kiss her so badly but this isn't the right time. ****************************

 **Eighteen months later**

Alot has changed over the past eighteen months. Jasmine is now 17yrs old and is dating Trent...something Renée still hasn't gotten accustomed to. Jasmine is also going out on supply runs but only with Zane's crew.

Eight months ago, Negan got rid of the last of his wives...Misty. Misty was happy to go and chose to live at one of the outpost with the option to return only when Dwight did.

With all of the wives gone...Negan has turned his full attention to Renée..trying to get to know her better. This hasn't been easy. She has been reluctant to let anyone become close to her but he wants to be near her.

When Negan decided to make the first move and kiss Renée, Zane advised him against it.

'Y _ou don't know how she will react man...you don't know how she feels about you.'_

' _She knows how I feel about her.'_

' _That doesn't mean she likes you.'_

' _It doesn't mean she doesn't like me either.'_

' _Whatever man….it's your funeral. Don't say I didn't warn you.'_

Negan's mind was already made up and there was nothing Zane could do to change it. Negan decided that he will wait for the perfect opportunity which presented itself sooner than expected. Most of the people were out scouting, with the rest on either sentry duties or resting up for their shift later.

Renée was in the pantry, checking on supplies and making a list of the things they needed. Negan knew that Jasmine was out on a run with Zane and wasn't expected back anytime soon. In case things turned south between Renée and himself he didn't want Jasmine to be a witness.

Negan entered the pantry but didn't close the door completely because he didn't want Renee to feel trapped. When he entered, she turned, smiled at him then began resuming her counting.

"We needs more tomatoes...could be canned or fresh…it doesn't matter. We also need milk...the ones we have here are passed their due date. Don't think anyone here will take any chances to use them still."

When Renée didn't get a reply, she turned around and saw Negan looking at her in a way that she have seen many times before over the past year. She watched as Negan walked up to her.

He took the note pad from her hand and placed them on the counter behind her. Inching closer, he put one hand around her waist and pulled her towards him. She didn't resist.

He looked down at her..swallowing hard….twice. Slowly he leaned in, using his free hand to gently lift her chin upwards, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on hers...gauging her reaction or lack thereof. He then gently kissed her.

With their lips inches apart and their eyes locked in each other, no one said anything or did anything. The room was oddly quiet. Negan kisses her again, this time holding it abit longer...their mouths opened slowly either upon sudden urge or instinct.

Not one to missed an opportunity… Negan leaned his head to one side, causing Renée head to tilt to the other. He then placed his chin hand behind her head to steady it as he kissed her deeper. *********************

Renée knew how Negan felt about her…..the interest in Jasmine, taking her under his wing and personal protection. The dismissal of his wives….using every opportunity to spend time with Renee and offering to assist her on things which he knows that no assistance is required.

Negan is a violent and dangerous man but the one thing he also is is honest. He has never lied to her and have been upfront about his baseball bat uses which she have come to learn was named Lucille.

However Negan kissing her took her by surprise. His unsure but yet bold chance in trusting that she will not react negatively was refreshing. He showed vulnerability...something that he never concedes to.

She isn't flattered by his advances or have any illusions about who he is. She doesn't love him nor believe that he loves her. They are both anomalies to each other…for each other and curiosity is getting the better of them...more so him to her than her to him.*********************

Renee dug her nails into Negan's forearm when he kissed her the second time. He kissed her deeper...more sensual...more sure of himself. One hand settled firmly in the arch of her back...the other caressing her neck.

Renee found herself exhaling through her nose. The kiss was good. It felt good being kissed like that….needed like that, after 17yrs. The more she dug her nails in..the deeper he kissed. She didn't want to be the first one to break away...and from the way he was kissing her...neither did he.*************************

Jasmine sat in her room...in disbelief...trying to process what she had just witnessed. Zane and her group was out for two days scouting. After the first day without success they were lucky to find a small abandoned truck in the woods laden with can foods.

After clearing out the walkers around it, they began loading up with as much as they can carry with a lot more stuff remaining. Three persons out of the group volunteered to remain with the truck while the rest of them made the trek back home and to return in quick time for the rest.

When they arrived home Zane and Trent unpack the goods while Jasmine took it inside. With both hands holding a box of canned tuna she was about to use her foot to push the door open when she saw them…..Negan and her mom... _kissing…_

She didn't know what to do as she clenched the box in her hand tightly. She was embarrassed at catching them without them even knowing she was standing there.

While she suspected Negan's feeling for her mom awhile now..she has never seen her mom like this.. _with anyone._ She quietly backed away a few steps, placed the box on the ground and went up to her room.*******************

Zane went to check on why Jasmine hasn't returned yet. He went inside and saw the box of canned tuna on the ground. Seeing the pantry door slightly ajar..he peeped inside.

" _F*ck_ ….." He muttered to himself as he turned around and headed back out.*************************

By Renée's estimation, they have been kissing for no more than ten minutes...when they pulled apart...they just stood there...looking at each other, neither one knowing what to say. Then without hesitation…..Negan kissed her on the forehead, caressed her cheek and left. He didn't even notice the box on the floor beside his feet*****************


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28: "A Chance"**

Negan and Zane was walking the perimeter of the Sanctuary one week later when Zane brought up the subject.

"So I guess I was wrong then.."

"Wrong about what?"

"You kissing Renée."

Negan's head snapped around at him.

"I saw you too...in the pantry...kissing."

An awkward pause engulfed the space between them.

"I didn't know you saw us...or anyone for that matter."

"Yeah...you two were too busy sucking face….I wasn't the only one too."

"What?"

Negan looked at him as he nodded his head to confirm what he feared. ******************************

For one whole week Jasmine carefully studied her mother's and Negan's movements. Negan was abit nervous around her mother...trying to catch her eyes.

Her mother on the other hand moved around like nothing happened except for one brief moment yesterday when her and Negan's eyes locked for ten seconds. Her mother smiled at him...which seemed to relax his intense stare. She decided to wait for the right time to enquire what was going on.

"So…..how's things?"

They were eating lunch at a table in the hall.

"What?"

Jasmine put down her fork and leaned back in her chair. She decided the direct approach was best.

"I saw you and Negan kissing." Jasmine said flatly.

Renée looked up at her daughter briefly and then continued eating. Jasmine threw her hands up in the air in frustration. Renée ignored her.

"Seriously? You're not gonna tell me what's going on?"

"There is nothing to tell."

Jasmine resumed eating. She then stopped.

"You know he likes you..right?"

It was Renée's turn to stop eating.

"Are you guys dating?"

"No."

"So not dating but kissing?" Jasmine asked sarcastically.

Renée squinted her eyes as her. Jasmine conceded.

"I get it...it's none of my business….I just think you should give him a chance..that's all."

"You don't even know him."

"Neither will you if you don't give him a chance. He didn't have to do all that he did if he wasn't serious about getting to know you better...wanting your approval."

"All that he did?"

"Yeah...like taking us back in when we left. He didn't have to send Marcus to watch our backs. He didn't give you the option of either being his wife or get shipped off to one of his outpost. He protected us...protected me..took me under his wing like a daughter."

"And that makes him a good man?" Renée scoffed.

"I didn't say he was a good man. I know about Lucille and what he does."

Renée appeared shocked.

"I'm not stupid mom. I hear the rumours...people talk. I also heard about what happened with those three men who were sick."

Renée said nothing.

"Plus he sent all those women packing. He didn't do it for me..that's for sure."

"Not funny."

"The point is….you didn't trust me enough to tell me about my father for all these years and I get it. But why don't you try trusting him...try trusting _someone_ for a change."

Renée squirmed in her seat…' _Am I really getting relationship advice from my own teenage daughter?!' She thought._

"He's not perfect. He's an unremorseful savage when it comes to people who are not his family and you don't have to agree or even like what he does..I don't."

Renee looked away.

"I'm not saying to fall head over heels in love with him either. Just…" Jasmine didn't finish her sentence.

There was silence between the ladies for awhile.

"Where did all this come from?"

"I'm just tired of seeing you alone mom! 17yrs! You never went out on a single date..not that I could remember despite all the invitations you got."

Clearly this has been bugging Jasmine for awhile now.

"I'm almost 18yrs old and you wouldn't be able to use me as a crutch no more for not feeling anything! What will you do then? Did my father hurt you so bad that you can't see when something might be potentially good in front of you?!"

Jasmine went too far.

"That's enough! I don't want to hear anymore!"

Renée glared at her daughter who couldn't meet her mother's angry eyes.

"I'm sorry." Jasmine muttered. Seeing that she lost her appetite.. She got up and started to clear their table. She looked at her mother once again.

"Do you know who Nelva and Cindy are?"

"No. Who are they?"

Jasmine just turned and left a confused Renée at the table.*****************************

Zane was the first one to see Renée approaching them.

"Doc.."

Negan turned around

"Hey."

It was weird...the three of them standing there. Zane excused himself.

"Well..I just got the speech of my life."

She was fully smiling at him..this was rare.

"Who's Nelva and Cindy?"

Negan face stiffened.*****************************

Since killing all the men who stood by and watch Nelva and her sister Cindy being violated which eventually lead to their deaths… Negan never spoke about it again. Instead, he let Lucille do all the talking for him.

The other persons who were there that night with him when he administered his brand of justice also never spoken of that tragedy either.

"Who told you about them?"

"Does it matter?"

No. I have never spoken about them since then so I am curious who talked."

Renee said nothing as she looked at him. She seem genuinely interested in the story behind those girls and she came to him..which is a first for her. It was a positive step in what he hope to be a new beginning for him...for _them._ So he told her everything.

He told her about the 30 something men that survived the ending of the old world…about their search for food which cost them five lives and could have been more if it wasn't for William taking them in.

That he promised William protection for his family in exchange for all the food they have if they come back with him to the Sanctuary. How everything was going well until some of the men began eyeing William's young daughters.

Then he was betrayed and locked up with half of the men who supported him while the others looked on and some even participated in the gang rape of the girls for three days with the younger of the two, Cindy killed on the first day.

They were eventually released by one of the men who suddenly had an attack of conscience. The uncontrollable rage he felt seeing a catatonic Nelva on the bed..bruised and broken. He described to her how his heart sank when he found Nelva hanging from a tree out back.

How he killed the the two animals who were just standing in the room pulling up their pants with the first thing he could find at the time. And how he swore to himself that he will never let something like that happen on his watch again.

Negan was brutal and honest in his feeling. Renée cringed from his very graphic description in detail. When he was done talking, he was drained of all his energy. The evening was now setting in.

There was a moment of complete silence between them. To Negan's surprise, Renee reached out and held his hand...interlocking their fingers tightly. She didn't look at him... she was looking straight ahead...in deep thought.***********************

Over the next couple of months Jasmine saw a gradual change in her mother's attitude towards Negan. It started off with a little more eye contact between the two with her mother smiling abit more at him.

Then came the quiet, secret cheek kisses early in the morning between her mom and Negan at their bedroom door just before Negan go out on runs and late at night before they go to bed.

Trent and the others have been teasing her non stop about what they have seen and what the others are secretly gossiping about. She doesn't care...her mother is finally trusting someone and not alone anymore.**************************

One year later...

A full year after her talk with her mom, Jasmine caught her mom and Negan in a full on make-out session in the medical room. Negan was standing behind her mom...tickling her while burying his face in her neck.

"Zane is waiting on you!" She giggled

"Five more minutes." He growled in her ear...nibbling on it.

Her mom giggled some more.

"Really?!" Jasmine said behind them, standing at the door.

Renée immediately straightened up...embarrassed, Negan had a smirk on his face. ***************************

Two months later, Negan and Renée made love for the first time. Eighteen years of pent up sexual frustration, urges and desires became undone and Negan wouldn't have it any other way.

As Negan gently but steadily slaughtered her moisted, slick center, he touched places she forgot she had and others where she didn't know existed. They were in the bedroom at the extreme end of the hall.

It was small but it was comfortable and private. As he pushed deep inside her, her toes curled and her back arched. She had difficulty catching her breath many times as the orgasms came one after the other, each one stronger and lasting longer than the previous one.

At the end of the first day...Renée lost all feelings in her legs and Negan was covered in scratches which he clearly admired while he lay on the bed. Renée was flushed with embarrassment.

The second day, Negan's mouth and hands did all the work. Placing one of his hands at the pit of her stomach and on his instructions Renée pull her knees up and spread them wide as he inserted two fingers from the other hand into her.

Supporting herself on her elbows she watched as Negan worked her. Within two minutes, she began to convulse violently. Seeing that she was about to scream out, Negan quickly removed his hand from her stomach and covered her mouth, pushing her back down on the bed...his other hand still working her without mercy.

Negan's mouth then expertly worked her lips, breast and clit. She was on top as they kissed like gluttons. He moved to her breasts, latching onto them like a newborn. After ten minutes of assaulting her full, bouncy globes he slipped down between her legs.

"What are you doing?" She gasped.

Negan slyly grinned up at her between her sweat soaked thighs.

"Don't move." He hoarsely commanded.

Negan began massaging her clit with his lips. It was too much for Renée to take. She tried to get off his face but he was having none of it. Negan latched his hands over her upper thighs, locking her down. There was no escape. She screamed out in bliss.**************************

Jasmine hasn't seen her mother in three days. It was on the second day when they heard her mother's one single cry of pleasure all the way down in the hall.

Robbie and Isaac fled outside clearly affected by the sound they had just heard while Sarah and Valerie giggled at the corner of the couch at Jasmine's red face. Trent was trying to comfort his girlfriend….unsuccessfully. Jasmine's only comfort is that majority of the residents of the Sanctuary was either out on supply runs or out on sentry duty.***************************

Renee and Negan spent the third day cuddling and sleeping. They were clearly worn out and needed to rejuvenate. Negan pulled Renee close and kissed her deeply one more time before they both fell asleep.************************

The next day, Negan woke up and looked at the beautiful caramel coloured goddess sleeping next to him. He just stared down at her, absorbing her beauty...their bodies touching. He reluctantly dragged himself out of bed.

He has been missing for three days and he needed his presence to be felt once again. Taking a quick shower, he went downstairs. The first pair of eyes he met was Jasmine. She was scowling at him from across the hall, arms crossed. The both of them needed to talk and iron out some things.*****************************

 **Two days later**

The morning went by fairly quickly. Negan was preparing to go an a supply run when Trevor and his crew came in with an unconscious Dwight in tow. Trevor whispered something in his ear. A few minutes later Dwight was looking up at his worst nightmare.****************

 _ **This is where Negan's backstory end and the present worlds of both Negan and Rick will line up to collide.**_


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29: "Allies"**

Jesus sat quietly as Rick explained all that has happened in Alexandria, all the people that have died, the people they caught and the information they have gathered so far.

"So these people was here all this time, hiding among the residents?

Rick nodded.

"Are you sure you got all of them?"

"Sure as can be at this moment."

Jesus then went into deep thought.

"It is making me wonder about the Hilltop. I wonder if these people are among us as well waiting to strike."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we have taken in a couple of people..,maybe 10 person or so since the world get down hill."

"You should check into that."

Jesus agreed.

"As soon as we get the location of the other camp, we need your help."

Jesus nodded in agreement.

"I don't think my people are combat ready for that type of mission as yet." Jesus observed.

Rick acknowledge this.

"Michonne suggested we take two teams from here..I could lead one and you could lead one."

"Sounds like a plan." Jesus chuckled…"Talking about plans...there's new leadership at the Hilltop."

"Really? You?"

Jesus laughed.

"Yeah...but only temporary until someone more qualified steps up.*************************

Negan stared at Dwight trying to digest the bullshit explanation he was just given. Trevor chuckled in the background.

"So let me understand this...I ordered you to watch Alexandria and report back to me. Instead you tried to infiltrate it..which I can excuse. You infiltrate and tried to take over without my consent. Is that right?"

Dwight nodded.

"In addition to not having my consent you _failed_ to take over the place. Am I missing something here?

Dwight said nothing. He looked at Trevor for an explanation.

"We found him. He wasn't coming back here. He was trying to leave."

"Really?" Negan turned and faced Dwight again.

"How many of these people have you killed?"

"I don't know. I was on the outside looking in."

"Are anymore of your crew still inside?"

"I don't know."

"So it is possible that at least one of them if they are alive was caught by….."

"Rick."

"Caught by Rick?"

Dwight said nothing.

"Hmmm..so Rick now knows we are out there now."************

Paula woke up to Denise bandaging her arm. Her leg was already bandaged. She looked over and saw a dazed out Daniel looking at his severed hand. It was also bandaged.

"Where's the other doctor?"

Denise didn't answer the question. She was all but done when Rick, Abe and Glen walked in. Paula looked at Rick and the red handle machete at his side. Rick threw a notepad on the table with a pen.

"Draw."

Paula quickly compiled without any resistance. ***********************

Rick, Michonne, Abe, Glen, Daryl and Jesus examined the two drawings of the camps at Carol's house. Jesus seemed abit skeptical.

"You think these are accurate?"

"Not 100% percent, but it's a chance we have to take." Rick observed.

"After what we did to them, they would be foolish to lie to us." Abe said, confident of the accuracy.

Jesus accepted Abe's confidence.

"So what do you want to do?"

"We take two teams..I'll take one...you lead one. We each take a camp and hit it at the same time."

Everyone nodded except Michonne. She frowned.

"Michonne?"

"I don't think we should split up. We don't know how many we are dealing at each camp."

The others were looking at her.

"We should ask them." Glen suggested.

Michonne shook her head.

"Don't need to. If we take the camps by surprise as one large group it would throw them off no matter how many people they have."

She paused and thought some more.

"Rick could lead the team to attack inside while Jesus lead a team to cover the extreme perimeter for anyone who may have escaped from inside and made it outside. It's called swarming."

Abe smiled...that's military language. She looked at the men.

"We also don't know how far the camps are from each other so we hit the camps at night...they will be less alert...most would be asleep. But it should be two nights in a row. Impact will be greater. We will regroup while they are counting their losses."

Michonne was confused at how the others was looking at her in amazement.

"What?"*************************

Jasmine and Robbie was on perimeter watch when Renée approached them. She needed to clear the air with her. Robbie saw her first and whispered to Jasmine. Jasmine turned to face her mother as Robbie walked away.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"You're upset."

"More like embarrassed. I've never seen you with anyone so this is new to me and you guys are going at it like rabbits."

Renee said nothing. There is nothing she could say.

"Just need some time to get use to it."

Jasmine smiled and hugged her mother.*******************

Rick and the others decided that they will hit the camps in two nights. Rick and Michonne walked home hand in hand.

"You know we haven't names the twins yet."

Michonne laughed.

"Ah...we have been kinda busy lately...me being unconscious and you being Mr Badass."

"I am fighting for my people...my family."

Suddenly Rick slowed down and stared off in the distance. Michonne followed his eyes.

"Was it from over there we were shot."

Rick clenched his jaw and balled his hands in a fist.

"Yes." He murmured angrily.

"Hey." Michonne turned Rick's face towards hers and kissed him.

"I'm still here. I am safe. The twins are safe. We are all safe...thanks to you and Abe and Daryl and Glen and everyone else who worked so hard to contain the threat."

"You have no idea how it felt seeing you on the ground, bleeding out."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be...glad you're here now...all three of you."***********************

"Can we talk?"

Negan approached Jasmine sheepishly.

"Sure."

"Your mom and I…."

"It's OK. Don't need any details. I am fine about you guys getting together. "

"Are you sure?"

"I spoke to mom already. I'm cool. I just dont want her to be alone anymore and to be happy.

"Me too."

"Just don't hurt her...OK. Whatever my father did really messed her up."

"I care for you and your mother alot. I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that."

"I hope so."******************************

Rick and Michonne lay in bed, the twins squirming in between them. As Michonne fussed over the twins..Rick looked at her...smiling.

"You want to name them now?"

"Ok."

"How about Avery and Liam?"

"Or Xavier and Quinn"

Rick frowned.

"Not Quinn."

"Ok..Avery and Xavier."

"I like Avery."

Rick picked up his infant daughter and put her on his chest. Avery yawned.

"Hi Avery!"

"We still need a name for our son."

She rubbed her son's tiny tummy as he held on to her fingers.

"Ooh...how about Ryan?"

"Hmmm. Ryan can work."

"Dominic too."

"I like Dominic."

"So…."

"Avery and Dominic."

Michonne kissed her son Dominic.************************

"Sweet Jesus!" Renee whispered under her breath.

Negan knew that was his cue. He thrust deep and hard into her and held it there. He watched with pleasure as Renée's body trembled under him.

Her eyes were shut tight as she bit down on her lips trying not to scream out. Finally, after a few minutes her body relaxed and she opened her eyes. Negan was playing with her hair.

"I talked to Jasmine. She's OK about us."

"I know. I spoke to her too. She isn't accustomed to seeing me with anyone. She needs time to adjust."

"She will."****************************

Abe and glen stepped outside briefly to catch some fresh air from the stench in the basement where Paula and Daniel was being kept.

Paula looked over at Daniel. His eyes was closed and clearly he was in pain.

"Hey.."

Daniel didn't respond.

"Hey!"

Daniel slowly opened his eyes and turned towards her.

"Can you move? We need to get out of here!"

He just stared at her.

"F*ck!"*****************************

Later that day, Marcus and his crew returned from their one week supply run. They had picked up three persons while they were out there and brought them back to the Sanctuary.

Marcus was talking to Renée about the people he brought in. She saw that they had a lot of stuff. Renée began giving directions to persons on where to put what. Suddenly, she heard her name.

"Renee?"**********************


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30: "Painful Past"**

On hearing her name being called by a recognized voice, Renée turned around….slowly. There, staring back at her, was a familiar pair of grey eyes that she hoped to never see again. Past hurt came flooding back like a freight train threatening to destroy her.**************************

Marcus couldn't help but notice Renée's reaction to the person standing in front of them. It's like she was seeing a ghost. The man was smiling at them….at her, while Renée just stood there not breathing.

Marcus touched her to shake her from her trance and her skin was cold. He looked at her face and small beads of sweat had already began forming on her forehead. The man spoke again.

"Renee….it's me...Gregory."

The mention of the name sent Renée's eyes in a blink of confusion. Her eyes began searching around frantically. The man moved towards her and she stepped away..clearly repulsed.

Abruptly, Renée turned on her heels and walked away. Marcus turned and look at the man as he watched Renée walk away from them. He had a grin on his face.

"Do you know Renée?"

"Yeah." The man laughed. "Intimately."

' _This isn't good'_ Marcus thought _. 'Not good at all.'_ He noticed the colour of the man's eyes.**********************

Gregory and the two other people brought in by Marcus was put in a room waiting to meet Negan. Gregory smiled wolvishly at himself thinking about a young, naive Renée.

He remembered how her body felt under his as he humped the sh*t out of her….how smooth and firm it was. How tight her center was. Gosh! He had never had a virgin before then.

He also remembered her cries...the tears. He didn't understand it. It was suppose to hurt. She was being too over dramatic about the situation. It would have been over soon enough. She just had to be a big girl and ride it out.

Sitting here in the room, he instinctively squeezed his package. The thought that he would ever see Renee again never crossed his mind. His cock stirred in his pants as he remembered her walking away few minutes earlier.

She looks good….real good. Her breast was fuller now...not meager like they were years ago. Her ass is more generous now...more pronounced. The jeans she had on did it justice.

' _Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea getting exiled as leader from the Hilltop.'_ Gregory laughed to himself. ' _Maybe he and Renée could pick up where they left off. It's worth a try.'**************************_

Negan was outside talking to Zane when he interrupted them.

"I think we have a problem."

"What is it?"

"I brought in three people today. I was talking to Renée when one of them recognized her."

Negan interest was peaked.

"And?"

"You need to see for yourself."

Negan and Zane followed him inside. There they saw Gregory outside the room. He was looking around. All three men instantly recognized the man's body stance...the foot movement…the mannerism.

"Jesus!" Zane muttered under his breath.

"Where did you find him?" Negan asked.

"Alone...in the woods."

Negan turned to Zane.

"When are you going back out?"

"I'm leaving in the next hour. Want me to take Jasmine with me?"

"That isn't my call to make. Just keep her away from him for now."

He turned to Marcus now.

"Where's Renée?"

They followed Marcus's eyes up to the second floor.***********************

Negan found Renée in a teary mess, sitting on the floor opposite the bed in their bedroom. Her eyes were bloodshot. He sat opposite her..leaning against the bed.

He waited patiently for when she is ready to speak. Ten minutes of silence passed between them with the occasional sniffling from Renée into some tissue. Renée looked at him and from the look in his eyes, she knew that he knew.

"I met him when I was sixteen. I had this friend who was a year older than me...Marissa. We both were only children so we hung out a lot. People thought we were sisters because we were always together."

Renee smiled briefly at the thought of her friend.

"We were hanging out at the mall one day and these two guys came to us. They asked if we wanted to hang out. Marissa immediately said yes. I was always the shy one so I just followed her lead. They said their names was Gregory and Mark. They were both 19yrs."

She blew her nose into some tissue.

"We had a good day that day in the mall. They asked if they could see us again. Marissa said yes. Gregory asked for my number. I didn't have a cell phone at the time, so Marissa told him that he could reach me on her phone because we were always together. He was a little arrogant but he was cute and was interested in me."

Renee looked at him to gauge his reaction to all that she was telling him. She hadn't spoken about Gregory for 18yrs and she didn't know how he would take it.

"We went out for 6 months until my 17th birthday came around. Gregory told me he had a special day planned for us. I was so excited. We went to a movie first. He had rented a motel room for the evening so we could have a private dinner.

When we got there, there was candle lights and the table was all set. I was so stupid and naive back then. I should have just gone home."

She paused to gather her thoughts.

"After dinner we were kissing and he put his hand down my pants. I told him I dont think I was ready for that. He said it's ok. He knows what he was doing, that he would take care of me and not let anything happen to me. I believed him...I trusted him. I asked him about using a condom. He just shrugged his shoulders and got on top of me...he was so heavy. Then he pushed up inside of me…... _hard._ It hurt. I realized it was a mistake. I asked him to stop..that I changed my mind. He said I couldn't change my mind. _Girls can't change their minds_ "

Renee was crying now.

"I tried to fight him off but he used his body weight against me. He covered my mouth so I couldn't scream and he continued ramming himself into me. It was so painful. I cried."

Renee closed her eyes as she remember the things Gregory said while he was on top of her. ' _Be a big girl and take it.'...'it's suppose to hurt.'...'stop crying!'_

"Twenty minutes later, it was over. He rolled off of me and told me to clean myself up. I was bleeding. I went to the bathroom. Half an hour later, I was standing infront of my house. He told me he'd call me later. I told him don't bother. He got pissed...called me a baby and a bitch and drove off."

Negan's jaw was locked tight in anger. If Gregory was infront of him right now he would kill him on the spot. Here he is looking at Renée and all the hate he felt six years ago was rising like a volcano from the pit of his stomach. Renée continued.

"Three weeks later I found out I was pregnant. I told my mother and she immediately threw me out of the house. I went to Marissa's in tears and she told her boyfriend Mark that we needed to see Gregory. Three days later Gregory came. I told him I was pregnant and my mother threw me out. He asked how was I sure it was his. We started arguing. He asked if I wanted to have an abortion. I refused. He said he wasn't ready to be a father. I said ' _that's too bad because you are a parent…..we both were.'_ He paid for a motel for six months from money he had saved up and we started living together."

Renée saw Negan frowning.

"Are you ok?

Negan looked at her shocked by the question.

"If I'm OK?! I should be asking you that!"

Renée's eyes sadden as she continues her story.

"The first few months was rough. We argued a lot...each accusing the other of ruining their lives. I think it was when my belly started showing that the reality finally hit him…. _this was real._ He started physically abusing me. It started with a push here and there...then he began hitting me. He would hit me for everything...if I talked back to him or said something he didn't like….if I wasn't done cooking his meal when he got home from work….or if I was too tired to have sex with him when he wanted it. He would find every excuse to abuse me, verbally and physically. One time when I was 6 months pregnant, he kicked me and I fell on my stomach. I started bleeding and he had to take me to the ER. There, I met Dr Silvern. He saw me privately and asked if I was being abused by my boyfriend. I lied..told him that I fell. I could tell he didn't believe me. He gave me his card and told me to call him if I ever needed any help. When they discharged me the nurse said that Gregory had already left and she called me a cab."

Renee paused again, her eyes beginning to fill with water. Negan suspected the worst is yet to come.

"When I got back to the motel, Gregory had packed his things. He said that he was done playing ' _house'_ and wanted to be free. He gave me $3000 and said that I should have had an abortion but since that was too late that i should give up the baby for adoption since he didnt want anything to do with it. He then told me to have a nice life and walked out. I followed him out in the motel car park begging him not to leave me and that I was sorry that I fell down. He got into the cab he had already called. I just stood there screaming his name as the cab disappeared down the street."

Renée started crying openly now. Negan moved closer to her.

"I cried for three days..alone in that motel room. The motel manager Mr. Wilcox has witnessed the whole thing. He offered me part-time work as a cleaner for the motel in exchange for the rent. I jumped at the opportunity. Things was looking up for me. I put $2000 in a savings account, used the rest to buy baby clothes and the money I was now earning I used it to buy food. The last month of my pregnancy I couldn't work but Mr Wilcox still paid me. Soon after management of the motel changed and a woman took over. She wasn't very nice."

A small smile appeared on Renée's face which took Negan by surprise. Renee was thinking about the birth of her daughter.

"Two weeks later my water broke. I had just come home from the grocery store. I asked the manager to call Dr. Silvern which she reluctantly did. It seemed that Jasmine was ready to come into the world because the contractions came soon after. I didn't want to leave the safety of the room and I prayed that the doctor would be there soon. He came half an hour later but Jasmine was already born. I gave birth to my daughter all alone in that room."

Negan nearly swallowed his tongue. He stared at Renée in total shock and disbelief.

"You look just like Dr Silvern and the motel manager when they walked in to my room...sleeping baby in my hand with the umbilical cord still attached. He took me to the hospital. I was ok. Jasmine was healthy. Two days later when I was discharged from the hospital, Dr Silvern asked me if I would be interested in doing medicine. I told him I don't have the money plus I have a young baby so I can't go to classes. He told me that there was a new work study program at the hospital. I asked him what am I to do with my baby. He said that she could stay with the other babies in the infants ward and when she gets older….there was a nursery available for staff that he will personally enroll her in as his niece. I was very reluctant that it would even work, but i took the chance. So that's what I did..I did a 6 year med school program in 7 yrs. I became abit paranoid after the first 3 years in the program. I thought that one day Gregory might see me with Jasmine and come after me so Dr Silvern got me transferred to another work study program in another state."

Not knowing what to say...Negan leaned in and kissed Renee passionately. He pulled back when he felt her warm tears on his lips. She was crying.

"Now he's here! I don't want Jasmine around him! He can't know about her or be apart of her life after 18 years! I saw Marissa a few months after Jasmine was born and told her that my baby died just in case Gregory asked her. I didn't want to lie to her but I couldn't take a chance that Gregory would come looking for us. Jasmine can't know about her conception….it will crush her!"

Renée cries into Negan's shoulder as he hugs her tightly.

"It's not fair! He doesn't have a right to her!"

He was so wrong about Renée. He now understands her going the extra mile in protecting her child..because she is the only one that have been doing it..why she always puts Jasmine first in everything...it's all she knows. After ten minutes...Renée was whimpering.

"Please help me…"

Negan cupped her face in his hands…he wanted to kill Gregory for what he did to Renée...for reducing her to the present state that she is in right now...for putting her through all what she went through. However this isn't his decision to make. As far as he is concerned, Gregory's life is now in Renée's hands.

"Tell me what you want me to do. Just say the word and it is done."


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31: "Sentenced"**

Renée cried herself to sleep in Negan's arms. Looking down at her cradled against his chest, he couldn't help but feel guilty grateful to the animal that was Gregory. If he didn't do what he did to Renée, she probably would still be with him and he wouldn't be with the woman he loves right now.

' _There...he said it. He loves Renée and he loves her daughter.'_

Gently, he picked her up, put her on the bed and covered her. He stood at the foot of the bed looking at her face.

He tries to picture a young, naive 17 year old Renée giving birth alone in a sleazy motel….how frightened she must have been. He had always wondered about Jasmine's father and now understand why she never told Jasmine about him.

Now he is here..right here. The man who raped Renée….the man who abused her..physically and verbally...the man who left her alone to give birth to his child.

Negan's blood is boiling now...knowing that that man is just a couple of feet away from his own death and he can't touch him. This is Renée's call...her decision and he will not make a move unless she consents.

In the meantime, Renée's one wish that he can fulfil is to keep Jasmine away from her father. Zane needs to take her from here. After quickly packing a few of Jasmine's clothes, he kissed Renée on the forehead and left.***********************

After selecting the two teams to be led by himself and Jesus, he decided that they should just have a get together before they go hunting tonight for Negan's camps. Himself and Jesus decided on a meeting point then Jesus and Dr Bryce headed home.

Rick, Michonne, Glen, Maggie, Daryl, Rosita, Abe, Sasha, Carl, Enid, Carol, Tobin, Denise, Tara and all the children gathered at Carol's house. There was lots of food and drinks as Carol, Maggie and the rest of the ladies cooked up a feast.

The ladies were all huddled in a circle on the floor with all the children in between them with Avery and Dominic getting the most attention. Carl and Enid snuck away upstairs for some alone time.

With Paula and Daniel guarded, Rick and the other men stood in the kitchen, drinking beer, watching the ladies giggling and talking among themselves.

"This feels like a final supper." Abe mumbled.

"It's not. We just don't know how long we will be gone or what we will meet out there. Given what happened...these little moments mean the world."

All the men agreed with Daryl.

"I could attest to that." Rick said.

"How's Michonne?"

"She's healing nicely. Thank god for that."

Suddenly they heard a little patter of feet running towards them. It was Abe's daughter Robyn. He scooped her up just in time to hand her back to her mother who had just come into the kitchen. She took her and headed back out.

"She's gonna be a handful to any guy." Rick laughed.

"Yeah? Well I feel sorry for the guy who knocks on my door to take my nugget out on a date."

"Hey! That could be my kid!" Rick exclaimed.

"Or mine…" Daryl interjected.

All the men laughed.

"How's Sasha doing?"

"She's doing much better."

He paused.

"Was thinking about asking her to try for another baby."

"Were you guys trying before?"

"No...not really. But we haven't exactly been breaking out the gloves."

"Having more kids is good."

"You got four kids already Rick! Don't be greedy!"

"Hey….if Michonne wants more..I'll give her more..no questions asked!"

There was a few seconds of pause.

"Are you seeing this?! Glen exclaimed, pointing at the women and children. "This is our future. When we are dead and gone..they are the ones who will be leading Alexandria in the future!"

"I ain't looking forward to dying anytime soon...but the future does look bright." Daryl shared.

"Amen to that!" Abe said, raising his glass. The other men followed.****************************

After interviewing the two women that Marcus picked up Angie and Martha and welcoming them to the Sanctuary... he was now about to interview the slime ball Gregory. Negan was glad Jasmine didn't protest going away for awhile although she would have liked to see her mother before she left.

He told her Renee was sleeping because she wasn't feeling abit well. It wasn't a total lie but Renée wouldn't have wanted Jasmine to see her in the state that she was in right now because of this man.

Negan and Gregory looked at each other. The eerie silence between the two men was deafening. It was Gregory who spoke first.

"Nice setup you have here."

Negan said nothing.

"You got a lot of people…"

Negan interrupted him before he could continue.

"Where are you from?"

"Originally or…."

It was Gregory's attempt to crack a joke. Negan's face suggested that he was not in the mood.

"I am from a community called the Hilltop."

"Why were you out there alone."

"Let's just say I'm the only one who had vision in that place. The residents didn't agree with some of the choices I made."

"So they kicked you out."

"I was gonna leave anyway." He looked around the room. "I think I will be a great fit here though."

"Really?!" Negan's tone was dripping in sarcasm. Gregory ignored it

"Of course. You look like a man with vision. We could run this place."

" _We?!"_

"Well you of course as the leader, but you will need a right hand man. Someone to bounce ideas off of."

Negan chuckled at him. Gregory could see that Negan wasn't buying what he was selling.

"How about this. To show you that I am an asset to you...I will take you to the Hilltop community. You can take everything and kill everyone."

Negan squinted his eyes at him.

"You would really do that to your people?"

"They are not my people anymore….you are."*********************

Renée woke up drenched in sweat. She was having the worst nightmare of her life. She dreamt Gregory had found her when Jasmine was 3yrs old and wanted to be her life again as if nothing happened. Then he pulled out a gun and threatened to kill her and take their daughter.

She looked around the room. Negan's not here. Suddenly she remembered that Gregory was here….so was Jasmine. She jumped off the bed and ran to the door. She almost crashed into Marcus on the steps on the first floor.

"Is Jasmine here?!" Renée asked frantically.

"No… Negan sent her away with Zane for awhile."

He steadied Renée's shoulders and looked into her eyes. All he saw was panic and confusion. He didn't know the full story but he does know that from Renee's reaction on seeing Gregory, his presence is very much unwelcomed. That's all he needs to know.

"Where is he?"

"Negan's talking to him now."

Renée gasped.

"What?!...no no no no no!"

She tried to dash from him but Marcus didn't let go.

"Negan's got this. He will protect you….. _we will protect you and Jasmine."_

Renée nodded meekly as she tried to steady her breathing.

Negan chuckled at the thought of Gregory suggesting that he kill everyone at the Hilltop when the only person he wanted to kill right now is him. However, he will check out the community and bring Gregory along for the ride. Not everyone make it back from trips. Accidents do happen after all.***************************

Renee had just taken a shower and was in bra and panties when Negan walked in. He softly closed the door behind him but she heard him and turned around.

"Are you ok?"

Without warning, Renee ran up to him and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For listening...understanding and not judging."

He kissed her.

"You don't have to thank me."

"Yes..I do. For sending Jasmine away. She doesn't need to see him or know him."

She put her head against his chest.

"But I need to talk to him."

Renee felt when Negan's body stiffened at her statement.

"I need to do this. It felt so good talking about it to you...like a weight been lifted. But I need closure before I decide what to do with him."

Renee closed her eyes.**************************

Gregory was getting abit restless in the room when Renée walked in. He was very pleased to see her again. Renée just looked at him.

"Hi baby. It's been awhile."

Renee said nothing.

"You look good."

Renee cocked her head to one side..her fist clenched. Gregory got up from his chair.

"You left me in the motel room..alone….scared...and pregnant."

Her voice was low.

"I wasn't ready to be a parent."

Renee's eyes flew wide open as she screamed at him.

"And I was?!"

Negan heard Renée's exclamation and gripped the door knob tightly. She asked to speak to Gregory alone. He only agreed on the condition that he stayed right outside the door just in case.

"It's not my fault! I was a kid!"

"You _raped_ me!" She raged at him

Gregory looked at her incredulously.

"Rape? It was all consensual sex as I remembered it."

"Was my screaming consensual too?! Me trying to fight you off was what…..foreplay?!"

Renee was now breathing heavily.

"I gave birth alone in that room! I was scared!"

"The baby died so it worked out for the best."

Renee stared at Gregory in total disbelief. She held her hand over her mouth as she wanted to gag at the statement he just uttered. She fled from the room, pushing Negan aside. She heard Gregory call after her.

Negan found a visible distressed Renée crying at the back of the building. As he held her….Negan's mind was already made up..Gregory has to die.*********************

As the sun began to set into night fall...Rick and his crew was gearing up. After kissing their families….the men head out to meet Jesus. The hunt begins.**************************

Negan showed Gregory where he will be sleeping.

"Get a good night's rest. Tomorrow we are going to the Hilltop."***************************


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32: "First Strike"**

Later that night Negan lay next to Renee on the bed. Her back was turned to him. Slowly he inched closer and pulled her back into him. She nestled herself against him contented. She was quiet.

"Penny for you thoughts?"

"Do you have a jar?" She asked solemnly. He knows she is hurting.

"Look at me."

Renee didn't move. He nudged her with his hips.

"Please."

She slowly turned to face him. Her eyes looked soul less, lifeless.

"Everything will be ok….Jasmine will be ok."

Renee said nothing…she just closed her eyes.**************

When Rick and his people met Jesus, he had two people with him.

"They wanted to help."

Rick nodded. They drove for twenty minutes and then pulled off into the trees. They travelled the rest of the way on foot through the edge of the forest. After ten minutes, they had arrived at their destination.

The building was exactly as Daniel described it. They saw that there was only three guards on duty. There was only lights on in the east wing of the building.

There were a couple of cars parked out front. The teams split in two. Jesus sent three members of his team through the forest, around to the east side of the compound and three members to the west side.

Rick sent five of his members through the forest around to the south side of the compound. The rest of Rick's team is to breach the building and kill everyone. All they had to do was wait for the opportune time.

Half an hour later, the opportunity arrived. A young woman came outside and spoke to two of the men. They signalled to the third man and then followed the woman inside.

The third man continued his patrol and walked around to the east side of the building. Suddenly he fell arrow straight through his head….Daryl's doing. They dragged his body into the forest quickly

With the front of the building clear..Rick and his team sprinted up to the building, making sure to use the cars as cover. Suddenly, one of the men came out with a plate of food in hand.

He walked over and leaned on one of the cars….everyone held their breath as Glen was hiding underneath it. Glen slowly crawled out on the other side. He reached over the hood of the car and tapped the man's shoulder.

As he turned around, Glen slit his throat in one quick slash. He fell on the hood of the car and Glen dragged him over onto his side and out of sight. The third man came out calling. He was leaning halfway outside the door on the west side of the building.

"Bobby! Where the f*ck are you man?!"

He had two bottles of beer in his hand.

"Bobby!"

Abe sneaked at the side, partly shielded by a wall. When the man leaned out further, Abe jumped out in front of him, startling him. Before he could raise an alarm, Abe drove one of Jesus's large hunting knife deep into the man's skull.

The bottles fell from the man's hand, crashing to the floor. Abe was however able to brace the man's body with his, so that his foot still held the front door open. Suddenly Abe froze.

Staring at him, was the young woman. She was terrified. She started screaming as she ran inside. Abe dropped the man's body and pursued her as Rick and his team followed him.

Seconds later, the sound of rapid fire broke out. Men were shouting, women were screaming. The teams on perimeter watch ready themselves for any escapees from the building.

Rick's south perimeter team soon had action of their own. Three men ran out the south entrance and was quickly cut down by the team led by Tobin in hail of bullets.

One woman came running out the front entrance shooting at Jesus who dispatched her with a knife thrown to her throat. She made gurgling noises as Jesus pulled out his knife.

The slaughter inside the compound went on for atleast ten minutes amid screams and shouts. Very soon, the teams on the outside had to deal with walkers who was drawn by the rapid gunfire.

After five more minutes, everything was quiet. One by one, Rick's squad came filing out. Some of them was covered in blood. Abe was bleeding from his leg as he was grazed by a bullet.

As Rick and the others catch their breath outside, the perimeter team went inside and did a sweep of the camp. The count….twenty four bodies… No survivors.*******************

Early the next morning Negan woke up t Renée straddling him. She was topless and only wore red lace panties.

"Hey."

"Hey."

He sat up and took the right nipple in his mouth. She held his head to her chest as he sucked passionately. She began rocking her hips gently against this cock which had already began to stir.

She groaned. He cupped her butt cheek in each hand and massage them firmly. Soon Negan flipped her over on her stomach. Renée placed a pillow under her hips to elevate them. Then she stretched her hands out in front of her in complete surrender.

As he entered her, she raised her hips against him for a better, more snug fit. He used his knees to hold her legs apart. His thrusts were steady. Renée turned her head back and Negan took full advantage as he devoured her lips.

"Right there!" She breathe into his mouth and Negan pushed against the desired spot. Renée sucked in her breath as she flexed against him.

He then started pumping her with deep strokes one at a time and Renée pushed her hips up for maximum pressure and penetration. Her inner walls began pulsing around him.

It was more than he could take as he groaned in her ear. She pushed up against him slightly again and as he slipped in more deeper, her body began to shake as she buried her face into the pillow and his into her back.

Few minutes later..their breathing was steadied, Negan still on top of her.

"Excellent morning alarm." Negan teased as he roll off of her.

"Shut up!" Renee quipped back.

She rolled on her back as Negan leaned halfway on her cupping her still wet center.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."********************************

After the slaughter, Rick and company had raided the camp, taking all the weapons, food and medicine that they could carry. Then they made the trek back to their vehicles to rest up. The sun was now streaming through the window of their vehicles.

Rick, Abe and Jesus was already up, looking at Paula's map, strategizing their next move. Rick looked at Abe bandaged leg.

"Are you sure you can go on?"

"I've survived worst. I'm good."

"Ok."

"How far do you think this camp is?" Jesus asked.

"Not sure. Could be a couple miles." Rick estimated.

Glen, Tobin and Daryl was checking on the vehicles and gassing them up for the next phase of their plan.

"It doesn't matter..we have a mission to do….so let's do this!"*****************************

Gregory got up early hoping to get a glimpse of Renée before he head out to the Hilltop. Soon enough she saw her head into the pantry. He began walking towards the pantry when he saw Negan went in also.

He quicken his pace just in time to see Negan place his hand protectively at the base of her back. Then suddenly, he gave a peck on the cheek. Gregory eyes widen.

' _What the f*ck?! Is she f*cking this guy?_ Gregory pulled out of sight to collect his thoughts. ' _He's the leader and she's with him! There's no way I could get to her...unless….'_ An evil plan entered Gregory's mind as he smiles to himself.***********************

On the way to the Hilltop, Gregory decided to do a little fishing for information.

"So you and Renée…"

Negan turned and watched him.

"How long _that's_ been going on?"

"None of your business."

"We use to date you know."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. We broke up. Then she tried to pin her baby on me. I felt sorry for her..so I decided to stick around. She became very demanding so I had to leave."

"She never told me any of that."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Hmmmmm...she keeping secrets from you already?" That's not a good sign."

Negan turned and watched a smiling Gregory as he stares outside the window.************************

Rick and company had arrived at the second camp and have been observing it from a distance for ten minutes now. Paula's camp is significantly smaller but there was a flurry of activities going on here.

Soon, two men and a young woman walked out of the facility talking to another man. They stood talking for about five minutes, then the men and the young woman got into a vehicle and started to drive out of the compound.

Abe made a move to ambush them as they drew nearer but Rick and Jesus stopped him. He was upset.

"We should stop them!"

"We can't risk stopping only three people and expose ourselves out here when there are so many more inside to take down."

Abe knows that their logic is sound so he argued no further. He curses under his breath as the vehicle pass them by unseen. They lay in wait in the shadow of the trees for the perfect opportunity to take down this second group.******************************

The minutes Zane, Marcus and Jasmine drove up to the compound, they knew something went horribly wrong. They got out of the vehicle and they saw several bodies strewn across the yard.

Marcus, Zane and Jasmine withdrew their weapons. They cautiously went inside the building when Jasmine's screams rang out.****************************

Negan and his group stopped at the bottom of a small incline. They came out of the vehicles.

"That's it. That's the Hilltop." Gregory said grinning.*******************************


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33: "Last Stop"**

Zane, Marcus and Jasmine looked around speechless at all the bodies that littered the compound's floor. There were bullet holes in the walls. It was a war zone. Zane looked at Jasmine and saw the terror in her face.

He signalled to Marcus to take her outside as he began checking the bodies for survivors. Then he saw Misty's body...she had two bullet wounds to her chest. After checking and confirming she was dead, he slowly raised up only to feel a sharp pain in his shoulder.

He screamed out, turning quickly only to see Elliot, one of the men who has turned, falling to the ground. Zane took out his gun and pulled the trigger. Marcus came rushing in to see Zane standing over Elliot's body.

He felt the warmth sensation running down his shoulder and reached over and felt wetness. It was blood….he was bitten. Marcus swallowed hard as he looked at Zane sorrowfully.

"Seems I'm not going home today." He chuckled to Marcus's dismay."********************

Jasmine was outside by the truck when Marcus and Zane walked out with solemn faces.

"What's wrong?"

Neither men wanted to speak.

"Misty's dead and…"

Marcus stopped speaking when tears began to flood Jasmine's eyes at the mention of Misty's end.

"And what?" She asked looking between the both men.

Zane slowly turned and showed her his bloody shoulder. Jasmine rushed up to him and saw that he was bitten.

"God no!" She cried as she threw her arms around Zane's neck tightly. He hugged her back.

"It's alright." He said trying to comfort the young woman.

"It's not alright!" She sobbed.

Over the past three years, Jasmine have looked up to Zane as an uncle she never had as she was always under his and Negan's protection, who she now sees as a father figure.

After a couple of minutes, he gently pulled away from her.

"Take her home to her mother." He instructed Marcus who only nodded. Jasmine walked to the truck in tears.

"Tell the men they need to be on high alert. We are under attack. I am sure this has to do with the f*ck up Dwight did to that community….tell Negan if he wants me..he knows where to find me. Now go!"

"I'm sorry." Marcus whispered as he walked away.

Zane watched peacefully as Marcus and Jasmine drove away.***********************

Harvey, Joseph and Sephra was on perimeter watch and saw when the four vehicles pulled up at the bottom of the incline. They watched carefully as the men began alighting the vehicles and then got downright suspicious when they saw Gregory come out.

Their eyes widen when they saw him and Harvey nodded to Sephra who then disappeared. They watched as the men walked up the incline towards them. When they were within earshot, Joseph called out to Gregory.

"You are no longer welcomed here Gregory… What do you want?"

Gregory laughed.

"I just brought some friends."

Joseph gave Negan and his men the once over.

"They look dangerous."

It was now Negan interjected.

"We are not looking for trouble.. We just want to trade."

"What do you have?"

Gregory spoke now.

"Where's Jesus?"

Just then, a small door opened in front of them and Dr Bryce came out.

"You need to leave...now!"

"Wait….you're in charge now?" Gregory laughed. "You?!"

Dr. Bryce ignored him. Instead his focus was on the strangers before him. He noticed their attire...combat ready, their stance and floor placement. Plus they each had walkie talkies. _Walkie talkies….saviours!_

Dr. Bryce turned and started running towards the entrance screaming.

"Saviours!************************

Marcus and Jasmine drive on the way back to the Sanctuary was done in silence. Jasmine kept her eyes out the window while Marcus kept his on the road. He knew she liked Zane a lot...looked up to him and this is not easy for her.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly.

"Me too."

Twenty minutes later, they drove through the gates of the Sanctuary. Marcus had barely parked the car when she jumped out and headed inside. Upon seeing her mother, Jasmine made a beeline straight for her.

Renée turned in time for Jasmine to hug her. She hugged her back...rubbing her back...clearly realizing that she was distressed.

"What's wrong?"

Renee asked when she saw Marcus come inside and some of the men began bringing out more weapons.

"Jasmine?!"

She cupped her daughter's face and saw that she had been crying. Jasmine didn't answer..just stared at her. Marcus whispered something in Renée's ear.

"Oh baby!" She pulled Jasmine close.**********************

Rick and his crew have been observing Paula's camp for over an hour now and no opening yet have been presented for a successful attack.

The midday sun was now beginning to creep down on their already tired bodies.

The heat was stifling...sweat running off their bodies in steady lines.

"We can't wait any longer." Jesus whispered.

Rick was growing frustrated. After the successful elimination of the first camp..their moral was at an all time high...but now as the minutes tick away...tempers are ready to flare.

"If we can't get all..at least we should try to take out as many as we can!" Abe suggested.

Rick nodded in reluctant agreement. They couldn't send teams to either side of the camp without being seen. Their only option was a frontal assault...and it needs to be deadly as possible.

They counted at least fifteen people right now on the outside, hustling and bustling. Don't know the figures on the inside. Killing fifteen people would be the best they could hope for right now but hopefully more when the others come running outside.

On Rick's count, some of the men stood up taking cover behind some trees while the others spread out on their bellies behind shrubs. With everyone in position..they started firing.******************************

Joseph, Harvey and Sephra started firing at Negan and his men forcing them to take cover as Dr Bryce flung himself through the gates at the Hilltop. Negan's men returned fire. Negan zig zag from the bullets as the Hilltop three aimed at him

However, Trevor took out Sephra and Harvey, forcing Joseph to take cover. Dr. Bryce struggled to lock the gate behind him, only to be thrown back when Negan kicked the door against him.

Dr. Bryce turned to flee and Negan shot him in the leg. He fell forward. Negan stood over him..gun pointing at his head. He then looked up and saw three men pointing guns at him.

"Let him go!" They demanded.

The men faces changed when they saw Negan's men entering the gates..one by one….a total of fifteen heavily armed and menacing men. Gregory followed after them...smiling sinisterly.

Six more men and one woman came out of the Hilltop manor armed and pointing their guns at them as well. Joseph, who was up on the perimeter wall also had his guns trained on Negan and his men.

"It seems we might have a Mexican stand off here."*******************************

Renee left her daughter sleeping upstairs and joined Marcus and the other men who were gearing up.

"What the hell happened?!"

"I don't know. We went to one of our camps and everyone was dead…... _everyone!_ There were bodies outside and the inside bodies littered the floor!"

He paused.

"Misty's dead!"

Renee covered her mouth in shock.

"It was a slaughter...and Zane think it had something to do with what Dwight did at Alexandria and this Rick guy. From what Dwight told us..he is capable."

Renee looked at Marcus confused.

"What are you talking about? Whose Rick and what is Alexandria?**************

Tony was talking to his brother Victor by the truck when warm blood splashed on his face. His brother fell forward on him as they crashed to the ground. That's when he heard the gunfire and saw one by one his comrades falling to the ground.

He looked in the direction of the gunshots across the street and saw over two dozen men coming out of the tree line. They were armed. As they came closer, he pretended to be dead.

He then heard men shouting and the return of rapid gun fire. He tried not to cringe at the sound of his fallen brethren all around him.

As the men passed him, he rolled his dead brother off of him and fired, killing two of the enemies before he himself was put down by a bullet to the head.

Rick and his men as well as the saviours were docking in and out behind cars that was scattered in the front of the building. A bullet narrowly missed his head, grazing his ear.

Both sides was taking losses...it was only a matter of endurance now. Soon, walkers, drawn by the noise began coming out of the woods behind the compound. Some of the saviours became distracted, giving Rick's team a chance to take out four more of the saviours.

Walkers then began coming out from the forest side to the front of the building threatening to trap rick and his people.

"Pull back!" Rick commanded.

The retreat on this command led him to lose three more of his people. While the rest of the saviours fight off walkers...Rick and his people raced to their vehicles….this battle was over.****************************

Zane walked around the facility, smoking a cigarette and casually putting down the few reanimated corpses of his dead friends…waiting for his own demise to come.*************************

Dr Bryce ripped off his shirt sleeve and tied off his leg to prevent further blood loss.

"We don't want any trouble."

Negan snickered.

"Then why did you fire upon us?"

"Because I know you didn't come here to trade."

"Oh really? Do tell."

Dr Bryce said nothing further..

He gestured to Gregory.

"You know this man brought me here to kill you right? He wanted me to kill all of you and take your stuff... What's the deal with that?"

Dr Bryce and the other Hilltop residents stared at Gregory who only shrugged his shoulders. Negan looked around the community. It more looked like a farming community than fighters. They clearly know how to defend themselves somewhat but not against a threat or someone like him. As if on cue, Negan's men began to fan out in the courtyard in more strategic positions.

"Don't move!" Peter, one of the Hilltop residents screamed.

"How about this. Surrender yourself to me...or better yet..work for me and I will spare all your lives."

Dr Bryce made a quick assessment of the situation at hand. Sure if a shootout were to take place now, they may be able to take out maybe one or two of Negan's men but they themselves will sustain the most losses. He thought about all the people in the community and how they would be affected...killed if they didn't comply. They need to strategize...live now to fight another day. He motioned for them to lower their weapons. Peter became furious.

"What?! No!" And he aimed to pull the trigger.

"Stop!" Dr Bryce screamed as Negan's men riddled Peter's body with bullets. Peter lay gasping on the ground.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34: "Loss" Part 1**

Negan stood over the dying man in the Hilltop courtyard.

"Leave him alone! Just let him die in peace!" Dr Bryce shouted.

Negan looked around at the other residents.

"You know...normally for this disrespect I would have chosen one of you to meet a very special friend of mine. Fortunately for that person that honour is already reserved for someone else."

Negan voice then became menacing.

"You work for me now….what is yours is mine. Don't let this happen again."

His voice became chirpy again.

"So….who wants to give me a tour of the place?"***********

Rick, Abe, Jesus, Daryl, Glen and the others are running through the forest to their vehicles, cutting down walkers in their path. They lost five people today. Suddenly, Tobin cried out.

"Rick!"

They all turned to watch Tobin.

"Something's wrong."

Rick and the others looked at him puzzled until he started coughing up blood and collapse to the ground. They all raced to him frantically looking for a wound.

It was Jesus who notices the blood was dark. He flipped Tobin over on his belly to reveal two bullet holes in his lung area. Tobin started wheezing.

"F*ck! He's suffocating….drowning in his own blood!" Abe spat out through grinding teeth.

"We need to move...now!" Rick commanded.

Jesus and Rick and three others took the lead in front to clear their path of walkers while Abe, Daryl, Glen carried Tobin. The others spread out to both sides and rear positions.

They picked up the pace….it's a matter of life and death now.***************************

After feeding and burping Avery and Dominic, Michonne put her babies to bed. Judith is already fast asleep. She splits her vision between keeping an eye on them, making sure they are ok and watching the front gates of Alexandria from their upstairs bedroom window.

She knows that it may be too soon for Rick and the others to be back yet..but she can't help what she feels…..she wants him home...home with her and their four kids.

Judith, as young as she is, has taking an active step in looking after her new brother and sister. Carl and Enid seem to be getting pretty close and she sneakily suspects other things may also be going on as well. Both her and Rick needs to address that also.

Sasha confided in her about Abe's request to try for another baby but she doesn't think that she is ready and is afraid that Abe wouldn't understand.

' _Talk to him..'_ She had advised Sasha. She had the feeling that Abe only made the request to give Sasha something which she had lost. She honestly believe that he will understand.

Michonne had turned her back to check on the children when she heard loud screeching at the gate. She quickly turned back to the window and watched as the gates opened and they hastily drove in.

The men jumped out of the vehicle and was shouting for Denise. She was horrified when they pulled an unconscious and heavily bleeding Tobin from the back seat.*******************************

During the tour of the Hilltop...Negan was impressed. This place would immediately solve their food problem and reduce the amount of time they spend out on supply runs. He chuckled to himself. Gregory thinks that bringing him here will make him part of their group. He is sooo wrong.

While Sandy is grudgingly showing Negan around and the rest of his men stand guard, the other Hilltop residents huddled around an injured Dr Bryce on the front porch of the manor house.

Negan's men was watching them but made no attempt to disperse them as they obviously see them no longer as a threat. The residents whispered among themselves.

"What are we going to do?"

"Whatever happens don't mention that we supply Alexandria with food… _ever._ Negan can never know that Rick is connected to this place."

They had just nodded in agreement when Negan had finished his tour. He walked over to the congregating group which quickly disassembled. He addressed the Dr.

"Your community will supply us with whatever we need and in exchange we will provide protection." Negan smiled…"See? I am a reasonable man."

Dr Bryce said nothing. He knows there's no point in refusing or fighting back...atleast not yet. His mind is now thinking on ways to get the word out to Jesus and Rick to warn them. He grind his teeth in anger when Negan's men began barking orders to his people to start loading up their vehicles.***********************

"I am so sorry Carol."

Denise looked at Carol and the rest of the people who was huddled around Tobin's body. Carol just stared at Tobin, their hands clasped when he died. Everyone was looking at Carol, who seemed void of any emotions...she seemed empty.

Kissing Tobin on his forehead, Carol got up and walked outside. Maggie, Sasha and Rosita followed her, while the other stood by sadly. Rick quietly slipped upstairs to see inform Michonne.

Michonne was furiously pacing the floor when Rick came into the room. She was hearing all the commotion downstairs but didn't investigate as she was not leading the children alone.

"What's going on?!" Michonne said half shouting.

Rick sprinted up to her, hugging her...lifting her off the ground. He buried his head on the curve of neck. Her shoulder hurt abit but she didn't care.. Rick was home.

"We lost six people." Rick said, putting her down. "We lost Tobin."

"What?!"

Rick walked over to his sleeping children. Michonne gasped.

"Oh God! Carol."

Michonne turned around and saw Rick kneeling beside his children.***************************

Negan left half of his men and Gregory behind at the Hilltop. He left instructions with them that the Dr was still in charge and to keep a very close eye on Gregory. He didn't want any trouble while he was gone.

Negan and the rest left with the supplies they had for home. He saw a clearing up ahead and thought that it would have been the perfect opportunity to arrange a meeting between Gregory and lucille.

Whenever Lucille meets her victim, Negan likes to explain why. To do so now would expose Renée's pain in front of his men. At the same time he can't risk him finding out about Jasmine either.

Also, Renee didn't give any indication of what she wants to do. As they pass the clearing, Negan began formulating a new plan in his head as he spied another clearing up ahead. Nothing came to mind. *************************

Maggie, Sasha and Rosita found a numb Carol sitting on the front steps.

"When we didn't know who the traitor was among us...I told Tobin we had to separate for awhile.. He said he understand but I could tell he was hurt."

Carol started to cry.

"Why did I do that?!" He is a good man..he was a good man! I knew it!"

Carol wailed. "I loved him!"

The ladies all reached out to comfort her.******************

Renee sat and contemplated how easier things would have been if Gregory never showed up….or even if he was dead. For eighteen years, she carried the pain Gregory inflicted on her but she is somewhat grateful as she wouldn't have had Jasmine.

She wouldn't trade her for anything, but she also can't risk a meeting between the two. The only way out is for Gregory to die. ' _Can she live with that?'*********************_

A small quick ceremony was held for Tobin. The ladies, including Michonne offered their shoulders of support for Carol who said a few words. In twenty, minutes….it was all over.**************************

When Negan pulled up at the Sanctuary gates, he knew something was wrong. All the men was on high alert and fully armed. He met Marcus inside.

"What's going on?!"

"One of our outpost was attacked!"

"What the f*ck! Which one?"

"Cedar Valley. Everyone is dead."

Negan stared at Marcus.

"Where's Zane?"

Marcus swallowed hard.

"He isn't here…..he got bit at the outpost so he stayed behind."

Negan remembered that Jasmine was also with them.

"Is Jasmine alright?!"

"Yeah..she's upstairs with her mom."

When Negan went upstairs, he met Renee at the door. She too was armed. She signalled for him to be quiet. He motioned for her to come out into the hallway.

"Whenever she's upset or stress out, she sleeps. It calms her." She paused. "I am sorry about Zane. Are you going to see him?"

"Yeah. I have too…. You wanna come?"

Renee hesitated. He knows that she's thinking about Jasmine.

"Jasmine will be ok here. Come with me."

It was then she noticed Gregory's absence.

"Did you kill him? Gregory?"

"We need to talk."***********************

Negan and Renee drove in a car alone while the others followed in three cars behind them.

"Is he dead?"

"No."

Renee looked partially relieved and disappointed at the same time.

"Like I said before...it's your decision. I wanted to but I knew you wouldn't have approved"

"Don't be too sure about that." She grumbled

Negan turned to her surprised.

"Dont look at me like that! I don't like or approve of killing people..period...but this sh*t is personal. I lived in fear of this man for years, that he will find me, find out about Jasmine and want to be in our lives….."

Renee folded her arm across her chest, pissed off at herself.

"Biologically, he is her father but she's my child...mines alone."

They were quiet for awhile…

"There is one other option.."

Negan can't believe he was suggesting this. Renee looked at him, knowing fully what he meant.

"Yeah…" Renee said quietly as she closed her eyes.

Carol has had a steady stream of visitors from the residents since Tobin's funeral. The Grimes family was spending some quality time at home. Michonne was breast feeding Dominic on the sofa while Rick held Avery, rubbing her back so her meal could digest.

It was past midday...early evening and Enid and Carl was arguing in the kitchen about what to make for dinner tonight. Judith was in her chair..taking it all in. Rick stood by his window looking out...with a restless movement of his feet. Michonne took note.************************

At the Ford residence, Sasha had the long conversation with Abe about her concerns about getting pregnant and losing the baby again. Abe reassures her that he is good with whatever decision she makes...as long as she is happy. They embraced.***********************

Rosita Dixon looked at her sleeping husband and son on the bed. They both had shaggy hair covering their peaceful faces. She smiled richly as she went downstairs to prepare dinner.**************************

Maggie forced her face into the pillow as Glen ride her. She was on all fours and he took full control of her hips. He jammed into her, hard and deep and it felt _good….._

"Raise up!" He commanded and Maggie willingly obeyed.

He removed one hand from her hips and gripped her shoulders. Maggie pushed back on him as he leaned forward. She held her breath as he sank deep in her, spreading her legs wider.

Within three deep thrusts...their bodies in unison..shuddered together as they collapsed in a sweaty heap on the floor. They embraced weakly as Elsa slept soundly upstairs.*****************************


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35: "Loss" Part 2**

When Negan and his men pulled up at the Cedar Valley camp, it was obvious what had taken place. He found Zane sitting in front the building on a chair, smoking a cigarette.

Negan and Renee got out and began walking towards him while the other men spread out and checked the compound. Zane laughed at them painfully.

Renee hugged Zane but had to quickly pull away because of the heat emanating from him. He was burning up, his breathing raspy.

"My shoulder hurts like f*ck!"

Renee dug into her bag and pulled out a small syringe with morphine. He gently refused.

"Don't waste any of it on me. I'm dead already."

She held his hand for as long as she can. Negan stood there, watching the exchange between two people he loved most in this world…..his childhood best friend who have been there for him through his darkest hour growing up and the woman he have come to love so deeply.

Zane turned to him and stretched out his hand.

"Help a friend to his feet one last time?"

Negan did so without question. Renee walked away to the car without words. She knew they would need some privacy. Negan and Zane began walking towards a clearing among the trees at the eastern side of the camp.

Renee was looking at them. When they reached the clearing both men stood looking at each other, neither one not knowing what to say to the other. What are words worth anyway at this point? It can neither comfort or heal.

Zane, with trembling hands, brought the cigarette up to his lips looking Negan straight in his eyes. There was unspoken words in this movement which Negan understood.

In one quick, fluent swipe, Negan brought out a blade from behind his back and buried it in his friend's skull. As the blood leaked through Zane's mouth, he fell forward against Negan's chest.

The cigarette burned through Negan's shirt and into his chest as he held his friend against him. After a minute, he let his friend slide peacefully to the ground.********************

Renee watched sadden as Negan called over some of his men to bury Zane. He took off his bloody shirt and put it over his friends face and walked over to her.

"I'm sorry." She whispered to him.

He remained expressionless as he leaned up against the car, watching the men burying his friend. She stood in front of him and placed both hands on his chest. Suddenly, without warning he pulled her close.**********************

Twenty minutes later, Negan and his crew was pulling out of the compound to head home when Marshall, from the Orange Field camp came driving towards them recklessly. He jumped out and ran towards Negan's vehicle. He was covered in blood.

"We've been hit."*****************************

Negan looked around angrily at the state of the Orange Field camp. The men were busy clearing out the bodies of both his men and walkers and making whatever repairs they can to the building.

Negan saw the bodies of five men he didn't recognise piled up in a heap. Renee was also attending to some of the men who were injured.

"We managed to kill five of them as they retreated. The gunfire brought the walkers all around us." Marshall said weakly.

Negan looked at him in rage...waiting for a plausible explanation.

"We don't know what happen! One minute we were out here getting ready to go on a supply run...the next minute we were under attack. Thank god Zane left here when he did!"

"What did you just say?!"

The man turned to see Renee standing behind him. She was staring at him.

"Zane was here?!" With Jasmine?!"

Marshall swallowed hard as Renée looked from him, to Negan and back. Negan pushed Marshall out of the way and grabbed her shoulders.

"Hey...we're gonna find who did this!"

She looked at him meekly.

"I…..I can't do anymore here. We need to get the injured back home."

"Ok."

Negan began barking orders for the injured to brought back to the Sanctuary and for the rest of the men to clean up and stand guard until further instructions. They then headed for home.****************************

Rick, Abe, Glen and Daryl meet to discuss what to do with Paula and Daniel.

"I say kill at least one of them...just to make a point." Daryl said flatly.

Abe concurred with his sentiments. Both Rick and Glen disagreed.

"We should lock them up….indefinitely. They could be useful to us in the long run."

"Don't see it." Abe passively argued.

"Let's sleep in it tonight."*****************************

Back at the Sanctuary... Renee, Jasmine, Sarah, Angie and Martha attended to the wounded. Everyone was on high alert...agitated. Negan has some business to address.

Since Dwight was brought back to the Sanctuary, he has been locked up in one of the guard rooms at the back of the building.

He has been fed but he hasn't had any contact with anyone. Now as he look up at Negan standing before him, he wonders if his fate has been already sealed.

"I gave you specific orders to watch Alexandria….not to infiltrate, not to take over. They have some of your men! _My men!_ They got information out of them and attacked our camps in Cedar Valley and Orange Field!"

Dwight looked at Negan frightened.

"Yes….Misty is dead!... _You killed her!"_

Dwight bowed down his head...tears flooding his eyes as Negan paced the floor slowly infront of him.

"My best friend is dead because of you! He got bit by one of the men who died because of your f*cking sh*t. He died trying to clean up the mess you caused! You cost me almost forty men!"

Dwight looked up at him again.

"For that….you're gonna pay!"

Negan knocked on the door and Trevor walked in with Lucille in hand, grinning. He could see that the bat was freshly washed and clean. Instantly, Trevor and three other men in the room held Dwight down, bent over on a small table which was dragged to the center of the room.

Negan saw the terrified look in Dwight's face.

"Don't worry…..I'm not going to kill you. Just need to take my pound of flesh!"

With that...Negan pressed Lucille against the side of Dwight's face and began dragging the prickled bat over it. The wire cut deep, leaving long streaks of jagged lines filled with blood.

Dwight screamed and struggled against the men who was holding him down against the table. It was useless. The second time the bat was raked against his face...it took off chunks of skin that was already hanging off from the first contact.

Blood now freely ran down Dwight's face into his mouth and eyes. Dwight begged Negan to stop. Negan ignored him and dragged the bat a third time. Dwight's face became numb.

The men released him and he collapse to the floor. As the men filed out of the room, Negan looked down at a trembling and bleeding Dwight on the floor.

"The thing I hate most after rapist….is disobedience. Worst yet..disobedience that bears no fruit."***********************

Renee had just sat down to take a break from attending to the injured men when she saw Negan walked past, with a bloodied Lucille in hand. She feared the worst as she caught up with him.

"What did you do?!"

Negan turned to look at her as she was looking at the bloodied bat.

"I didn't kill anyone..if that's what you're asking."

She pointed at the bat.

"But I did hurt someone…"

He pointed to the guard room. Renée ran to it. On opening the door, she became angry. She raced back to Negan and upon reaching him, she shoved him. He barely moved.

"What the f*ck is wrong with you?!"*********************

"Wait...are they fighting?!"

Jasmine, Robbie and Sarah stood watching the commotion between Negan and Renée. They saw when she pushed him and her arms waving frantically in the air at him. Negan just stood there looking at her. Suddenly, she stalked off.

"Wow!" Was all Sarah could say.***********************

The night shift for guard duty had just changed when Renée wearily walked up to her room. There was dried blood on her clothes and she felt sticky.

A nice warm shower will fix that. Negan was waiting for her. She glanced at him and stripping quickly headed straight for the shower.

A few minutes had passed when she heard the shower pulled open and Negan stepped inside. She was pissed at him and he knew that.

She kept her back to him as she washed the sweat off of her skin.

"He disobeyed me so I punished him."

Renee said nothing, keeping her back to him.

"Renee…."

"Please stop talking. I know what you are and what you do...I don't like it but I am here and I am dealing with it. But I still have a right to be pissed at your a** if I want to whether you like it or not."

"Yes ma'am."

She gave him the soap.

"Wash my back."*************************

The next day Paula and Daniel was placed in the cells with 24hrs guard watch until they can be separated. Rick held a council meeting for all the residents at the church.

"We can no longer get comfortable...be comfortable. We must be alert at all times. We have struck back at the heart of a new enemy...and we have struck hard."

He paused.

"It is possible that they will now be coming for us. I know that we are ready to defend our home as we have done it... but we must be willing to not only kill to protect our home...but do terrible things...unspeakable things. I know that this threat is the first human threat most of you have ever encountered outside of the walkers and it was scary. They have four camps and we have completely obliterated one of these camps and severely crippled the other. Although we have lost five people, their deaths were not in vain as we have atleast managed to even out the numbers of people we will have to kill. The Hilltop is already with us to fight this threat...we are not alone. We are in this together."

Rick looked around at the nodding and determined faces in the crowd as they go back to their homes..in a new battle ready frame of mind. He is proud of them...they are willing and capable of fighting to keep their homes from all invaders.

Two days have passed and there wasn't a peep or a whisper of any suspicious activities around Alexandria. Jesus decided it was time to head home to check on things. He said his goodbyes and left.***************************

Negan stood and surveyed the large gathering of men in front of him.

"Let's go and introduce ourselves to our new neighbours."


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36: "High Stakes"**

Abe was on the north perimeter wall watch when he heard the faint sound of vehicles. Looking through his binoculars, he saw a contingent of about 8 vehicles heading towards Alexandria. He whistled to Ned at the gate who immediately ran for Rick. ***********************

Gregory could feel the hatred towards him at the Hilltop. He could smell it in the air. The residents are probably blaming him for the deaths of some of their people.

He wasn't worried though. Negan's men are there to protect him. Besides, his mind was on other things like getting back to the Sanctuary and seeing Renée again.

He wondered if she and Negan argued over her not telling him that she knew Gregory and that they had had an intimate relationship that produced a child.

He needs to drive a wedge between them. He laughed to himself. ' _It's a pity their child died...it would have been nice to be bonded to Renée for life. That's something that even Negan can't come between….'_

Suddenly, David walked up to him and slugged him hard, sending him crashing to the ground. David then kicked him and was about to deliver a second blow when Dr Bryce shouted out to him.

"David!"

David's head snapped around towards the Dr with a furious glare. Then he stalked off. Gregory looked up to see two of Negan's men looking at him...snickering. He gave them a half hearted smile as he dusted himself off.**************************

Jesus was about to come out of the forest, close to home when he saw three strange, armed men patrolling outside the walls of the Hilltop.

He watched and observed carefully, hoping to see one of his people. To get a better vantage point, he climbed a thick, densely foliaged tree nearby to see if he could get a glimpse of what is going on inside the community.

There he saw more of these strange men with guns and some of his people staring at them. Then he saw Gregory coming out of the manor house.

He was about to descend when he heard footsteps coming in his direction. He held his breath as one of the men stood below his tree and began to relieve himself against it's roots.

He then pulled out a cigarette and began to smoke. Jesus contemplated whether to take out this one man underneath him. Before he decided, a second man join the smoker under the tree. They began talking.

"What do you think of this Rick guy?"

"I think he's not a pushover..that's for sure."

"He has a death wish if you ask me."

"Not everyone is going to roll over for Negan…. The guy's a f*cking lunatic! Bashing people's heads in as an example so others will follow! What the f*ck!"

"It work..didn't it….besides...you better watch that kind of talk! That can get you killed."

"Whatever man…"

Jesus listened intently.************************

Rick was in the bathroom with Michonne checking on her arm reflexes when Ned came banging on the door…

"Rick! Rick! You need to come quick!"

Michonne rushed to the bedroom window while Rick sprinted downstairs. He opened the door to a wide eyed Ned.

"Come quick! Some people are approaching the gates!"

Rick grabbed his gun belt and followed Ned out.**************

Michonne heard when Rick left the house. She looked at her three young children asleep on the bed. She quietly reached for her katana and strapped it on her back.*****************

When Sasha heard Abe's whistle, she knew what it meant. After making sure that their daughter was secured safely she positioned herself at the sniper post in their bedroom, peered through her sniper scope and waited.**************

Renée looked around at the residents of the Sanctuary. Everyone was on high alert and armed. She watched as her 18yr old daughter and her friends passed her as they patrol the grounds.

They were all armed as well. Jasmine has become quite good at defending herself using different techniques under the guidance of Negan and Zane. Now that Zane is gone Negan is the only male figure in her life...until now.

Renée spent the last two nights restless….contemplating whether or not to tell Jasmine about her father or at least tell her that he is around and will want contact with her. Negan assured her to take her time in deciding what to do as there will be no turning back.**************************

When Rick arrived at the gate, there were a number of residents already there, fully armed and ready. The others were already spread out throughout the community...seen and unseen and waiting for the signal.

Rick stood at the gates and watched carefully as one of the cars slowly drove forward and then stopped. A man, dressed in a black leather jacket, pants and boots came out of the driver's seat.

The man then walked straight up to the gate causing rick to walk forward. After checking and sizing each other out the man smiled coyly at Rick.

"Hi….I'm Negan and we have very serious problem.******************

Janice was attending to Dr Bryce's leg when Gregory came into the room. They looked at him.

"What do you want Gregory? What are you doing back here?"

Gregory smirked at them.

"Payback's a bitch...ain't it. You think that I would let you kick me out and not get some sort of revenge?"

"You got yourself kicked out. When a woman says no...she means _no!"_

Gregory frowned at him.

"You don't know what happened."

"I know what I saw. We have had enough of your sh*t. It was a unanimous decision…by all of us."

Gregory shrugged his shoulders.

"You can keep the Hilltop...I found somewhere much better."

Dr Bryce laughed at him.

"Not for long...wait till Negan finds out about the kind of person you are. He will most likely kill you."

' _Not if I kill him first…'_ Gregory thought to himself as he walked away.*************************

The men beneath Jesus's tree was getting agitated with the heat in the forest. When the cigarette was finished, the two men walked back to the community. Jesus waited to see when they went through the gates and he jumped down from the tree.

' _I need Rick's help. Can't get rid of these saviours all by myself..'_ Jesus reasoned as he made his way back to Alexandria. ************************

Rick tilt his head slightly to the side, hands on hips looking at Negan through the gates of Alexandria. Some of his men came out of the vehicles, guns in hand. Abe was up on the guard tower, guns trained on the enemy to fire at will while Daryl and Glen flanked Rick's right and Aaron, Carl and Ned stood to the Rick's left.

Michonne, Maggie, Carol, Rosita, Sasha, Enid, Denise and Tara stayed indoors to protect the children. That was their first and main priority. However, they have been keeping an eye on their men and are ready and willing to cover their backs if need be.

"We?"

"Yeah….we. You killed a lot of my people."

While Negan has no proof that it was Rick who attacked the camps...Rick decided that it was best to face this threat head on.

"Not before your people attacked my people and killed some of them."

"It was my men but I didn't gave no such order to attack your people."

Rick scoffed at him.

"And I'm suppose to take your word for it?!"

"The person who made that foolish mistake has been adequately punished."

Rick squinted his eyes at Negan. Negan signalled and Trevor brought out a wounded Dwight out of one of the cars. He was forced to kneel down infront of Negan….his face..heavily bandaged. Rick glared at Dwight.

"So you're the coward that shot my wife."

Rick was taken aback that Negan was surprised at his statement. Rick looked at Negan smugged.

"Yeah...he shot my wife."

"So here's the deal...you hand over my people that you have, give me half of your stuff and work for me."

Negan said this with a smile on his face. It was Daryl's turn to laugh in Negan's face.

"Who the f*ck is this clown?!"

Negan ignored Daryl, keeping his eyes fixed on Rick. No one said anything for a few minutes as Rick and Negan stared intensely at one another. Some of Negan's men began to figet nervously on their feet.

Daryl, Glen, Abe and the other residents kept their eyes also on Negan and his men, their fingers on their triggers ready to fight for their home.

"So what's it's gonna be…. _Rick?!"_

Negan's tone was condescending….sarcastic. Rick chuckled.

"You see what we can do. I suggest that you go home while you still can."

"Is that your final offer?"

Rick made no response.

"Hmmmm...ok. I am sooo looking forward to showing you what I can do."

Negan turned to leave, dragging Dwight behind him. Dwight looked at Rick with frightened, pleading eyes.

"Run like the bitch you are!" Abe shouted at the men as they jumped into their vehicles. Negan looked at Abe with a smile on his face.**************************

Later that night...

The sound of gunshot shattered the night's calm. Samuel, Jackson and Reggie who was on the north wall watch posts began returning fire in rapid succession.*********************

Abe threw his body over his wife and daughter at the sound the gun fire. Sasha looked at him wide eyed and he saw the fear in her eyes. He kissed her on the forehead to calm her down as he soothe his crying daughter.

The gun fire startled Rick and Michonne and on immediate reflex, Michonne grabbed Judith who was closer to her as Rick grabbed Avery and Dominic and they both rolled off the bed and unto the floor.*******************

Glen was downstairs getting a glass of milk for Elsa when the gunshots was heard. He dropped the glass on the floor as he leaped towards the stairs. ******************

Carol was on the bathroom floor, in one of Tobin's shirts crying when she heard the gunshots. She grabbed one of her guns from under the bathroom sink and rushed downstairs. *****************

Rosita was straddling Daryl, passionately kissing him on the bed when she was interrupted by the sound of gunshot. Daryl pulled her down to him and rolled to the floor. He then belly crawled on the ground to their son's room as Rosita reached for the two shotguns underneath their bed.*******************

When Rick, Abe, Glen and Daryl raced outside, Alexandria was a war zone but the Alexandrians.. _his people_ was in full combat mode. From first glance he saw that the north and east gates were covered well.

Rick and Abe headed to the south gate while Glen and Daryl made their way to the west gate. ********************

"Are you guys ok!"

Michonne screamed into the walkie talkie as she cradled her children on the upstairs bathroom floor. Carl and Enid covered the downstairs portion of the house.

"Yeah! I'm ok."

Rosita answered with Caleb on her belly on the bedroom floor...shotgun in hand facing the door.

"Me too."

Maggie answered with Elsa strapped to her chest, pistol in hand. However, there was no word from Sasha.

"Sasha! Are you alright?"

Rosita yelled into the walkie talkie. Sasha sat rigid in a corner, looking into Robyn's face. ' _No one is going to hurt me or my baby...never!'_ Sasha thought to herself.

"Sasha!" Maggie shouted into the walkie talkie.

"Yes! I am here!"

"We all need to get to Carol's now!" Maggie instructed.

"No! It's too dangerous! We need to get to the house closest to us! We dont know what's going on out there!" Michonne reasoned.

"Ok. Sasha and I will go to Carol's and you go to Maggie's." Rosita called out.

"Good...when we get there we will all check in!"

"Ok!" came a unison reply.

Soon after Carl and Enid came rushing in.

"We need to go mom! What's the plan?!"

"We are going to Maggie's...now!"

Carl took Avery and Enid took Dominic. Michonne held on to Judith. The children were screaming.

"What about the others?!"

"Rosita and Sasha are going to Carol's first and then we will see what we can do from there…. Now _move!"_

Carl, Enid and Michonne raced down the stairs, making sure to stay close to the walls and at times had to crawl on their bellies to protect the young ones.

The bullets seem to be flying everywhere. They crawled on their bellies until they reached the back door. Suddenly, Michonne froze.

She stared at the spot on the back porch where her blood once stained it. A huge lump formed in her throat. Her eyes instantly looked up at the tree where she was shot from. She couldn't move.

"Mom! Keep moving!"

Michonne couldn't breathe.

"Mom!"

The sound of Carl's voice gave her a jolt and she made a mad dash around the corner towards the back of the house, Carl and Enid following closely.******************

Rosita kicked in Sasha's back door as she dashed through it. Soon a bullet grazes her arm. Holding her son tightly against her chest, she spun around and dropped herself on her back and crawled backwards in towards the living room behind a sofa.

Sasha was already behind another sofa waiting for her.

"What the f*ck took you so long?!"

"It's crazy out there!"

Both Sasha and Rosita turned on their bellies with their children tuck safely underneath...supportingtheir own upper body weight on their elbows. They listened at bullet struck the walls of Sasha's house.

Rosita saw the way Sasha was looking at Robyn.

"Hey!"

Sasha looked at her.

"We are not dying today! _None of us!"_

Sasha nodded.

"I don't think we can make it to Carol's!"

"The safety room's upstairs but I'm not going back up there...it's too risky now to even try. There is a spare room to the left of us! It has one small window and a deadbolt on the door. We can barricade it with whatever is in the room. It should be secured enough!"

"Ok! Let's go!"**********************

"Come on!" Maggie screamed as she saw the three figures moving breathless towards her house. One minute later, Maggie, Michonne, Carl, Enid and all the children were safely in Maggie's safety room. Michonne picked up the walkie talkie to check in.******************


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37: "Taken"**

Rick and Abe found themselves docking and weaving between cars as bullets wizzed over their heads. He looked around and saw his people all shooting back at their enemies... _Kelly_ , _Nathan, Jude, Samuel, Racquel, Chad, Olivia, Taylor, Father Gabriel, Tate and many others._

The flood lights were turned on and they saw that some of Negan's men had resorted to using some of the trees near the walls as cover. Rick was instantly filled with rage as he remembered Dwight's use of this same method to harm Michonne.

There, on the ground, a few feet away from him lay six of his people….all shot between the eyes. He saw that the gates was still holding firm despite the loss. Seeing two of the men aiming, Rick followed their gaze and saw that the men had Michonne, Carl and Enid in their sights as they made their way to Maggie's house.

Rick saw the precious cargo that each of them were carrying and he instantly saw red. Rick aimed for the trees and kept his finger on the trigger of the AK-47. He didn't let go until he saw the limp bodies free fall from the tree to the ground below.

Rick glanced back to where he last saw his family and breathe a sigh of relief when he realized that they had made it to safety. Abe and Rick then trained their eyes on hunting the intruders.**********************

Daryl and Glen arrived at the west gate where Marion, Niles, Wesley and Susan was sustaining heavy fire. Daryl and Glen's approach distracted two of Negan's men giving Niles and Susan the perfect opportunity to take them out.

Glen nodded at them appreciatively. He saw that they were trying to put on a brave face through all the chaos. They continuing firing.****************

Trevor stood perfectly still in his camouflaged position, quietly and expertly taking out some of the Alexandria's people one by one. He had taken refuge in a tree a couple feet away from the walls but one which still had a strategic line of sight in some areas in Alexandria.

He had began to panic when Rick aimed in his direction. He withdrew into the thick foliage and was about to make good his escape when he saw the bodies of two of his comrades, who has occupied the trees at the side of him hit the ground. Then Rick and Abe ran off to help the others.

Soon enough another Alexandria lamb fell into his trap. Nick..in running between cars and dodging bullets, eyes catch the cluster of bodies in front of him. As he cautiously peeped over the hood of the car that he was hiding behind to get a better look...Trevor pulled the trigger.

' _Seven!'_ Trevor muttered to himself triumphantly. ************************

"Hey! I'm at Maggie's...You guys at Carol's yet!"

"No!" We're at Sasha's house! We couldn't make it! It's too dangerous!"

"Are you guys safe?!" Michonne enquired.

Yeah..for now!"

"Ok.. Stay there and keep low. Remember _kill anything or anyone that's not our people...every man, woman or child that's an intruder….dies!'_

"Copy that...see you guy on the other side."****************

Tara saw when the bullet hit Denise in her chest and she fell backwards towards the floor. When she reached her..Denise had started bleeding through her mouth. Denise tried to speak as blood bubbles splashed up in Tara's face.

"Don't talk!" Tara instructed as she packed bandages on Denise's chest to try and stop the bleeding.

She picked up a nearby walkie talkie and screamed into it.*************************

"Somebody help me! Denise's been shot!"

Michonne was the first to response.

"Where are you?!"

"At the infirmary! Please hurry!"

I'm on my way!"

Michonne turned to see Maggie, Carl and Enid staring at her.

"You can't go out there! It's too dangerous!" Maggie yelled at her.

" _This is Denise! She saved my life...my babies lives! I have to at least try...for her!"_

Maggie knew that Michonne is right. Michonne kissed her three youngest children's forehead and hugged Carl tightly.

"I will be back...I promise."

"Yeah..you will because I am coming with you!"

"No!" Michonne objected.

"Yes! I am!" Carl said sharply. "You think I'm gonna let my mother go out there all by herself. You are not gonna get hurt again...ever! You will protect me and I will protect you! That's how we always do it. That's how we all make it alive...you and me mom...always…. _forever!"_

Michonne has never felt so proud before. She held his shoulder.

"Let's go!"

Carl suddenly swung around and planted his lips firmly against Enid's, taking her and everyone else by surprise.

"I love you Enid Sealey and I am coming back for you."

He turned back to his mother and nodded. They headed out.*******************

Tara frantically turned Denise's head on the side so that the blood can be drained from her mouth.

"Don't you dare leave me!" Tara screamed at her.

The second set of bandages were already filled with blood as Tara reach for a fresh set to jam against the hole in Denise.

"Someone help me please!" She screamed out.************

Jesus was running through the forest towards the gunfire.

' _That's in Alexandria!'_ He thought as he increased his speed. He came to a sliding halt when he got near some trees.

He saw the steady stream of flashes coming from inside the heart of the tree. He knelt down, pulled out his gun and carefully aimed towards the foliage.

He waited patiently for the next flash to identify the position of the shooter. He held his breath and when the flashed appeared he adjusted himself and released a single shot.

He wasn't sure he hit his mark until he heard a man scream out. Suddenly, he found himself running and dodging in the dark as the gun was now aiming at him.

The shots were being fired wildly giving Jesus a chance to dive under the tree where he fired three shots up above him up into the tree. Suddenly a body came crashing down on him.

The weight of the body knocked the wind out of him. Soon, two men came running over to them. Jesus pretended that he was dead.

"Eli!" one of the men called out as they stood over him.

"What the f*ck! Who is this?" said the other.

The man was kneeling over them. Jesus opened his eyes, frightening the man.

"What the ….."

Jesus grabbed the man towards him and shot him point blank in his chest. Before his friend could react, Jesus turned his gun on him.

"Don't move!" Jesus commanded as he rolled the dead body off him. The man grinned at him and grabbed for his weapon. Jesus pulled the trigger.***********************

Rick and Abe met up with several other residents who was taking cover from the shower of bullets behind a cluster of cars.

"What's the plan Rick?! We are pinned down in here. We need to get out there! Ned agitated.

"Ned, Candice, Mitchell, Kelly and Donald...you lay down some cover fire. The rest of us will head outside the gates. Get ready!"

Ned, Candice, Mitchell, Kelly and Donald all carefully took their positions behind the cars and began firing towards the south gate. Abe, Rick, Jeanne, Liz, Lennon, Brian, Alex, Felicia and Esther made a strong dash for the gate.

Soon, they were outside the gates and they went hunting up in the trees that lined the walls of their home and provided vital shade for their enemies. The shouts of Rick and his people can be heard against those of Negan's.***********************

Daryl and Glen forced themselves out of the west gate and into the darkness. They took immediate cover behind the trunk of a huge tree, the shots that were shadowing at their feet..were now pounding the tree. When they adjusted their eye sights, they saw two men a couple of feet to the right of them.

"I'll take the assholes in the tree...you take those clowns over there." Daryl shouted to Glen who nodded.

He began shooting in the tree, giving Glen cover as he skillfully approached the other targets.********************

Michonne and Carl reach the infirmary to find Tara stooping over Denise on the ground in a panic. They carefully rushed over to her side. They took over applying pressure to Denise's chest.

"What do you want us to do?!"

Tara held her head and closed her eyes.

"Tara!" Carl cried. "You can do this! Tell me what to do?!"

He was shaking her now, which snapped Tara out of her haze.

"Get me the biggest syringe you could find from the draw over there as well as a scalpel! Hurry!"

Carl did what he was told. She turned to Michonne, who eyes gave her all the assurance and confidence she needs. She scooted over the the other side of the room and grabbed a small vile of anesthestic.

She found a cluster of needles and IV lines on the floor not too far from her. She quickly attached one end of the IV line to the head of the screw head of the needle.

Expertly, she cracked the vile of anaesthetic with her teeth and attached it to the other end of the IV line. She crawled back over to Denise and jammed the needle in her hand as best as she can, while holding the bottle in her mouth.

With the scalpel, Tara cut around the bullet hole. Warm blood sprayed out into their faces. Michonne began soaking up the excess blood with the bandages but it was all to much.

It was then Carl realized the syringe's purpose. He began suctioning the blood from the hole. It filled very quickly but Carl kept at it….vigorously. They all looked at Denise…..her eyes was closed.************************

After taking out the men, Jesus began sprinting along the walls towards the south aide of Alexandria. He soon came upon Rick and some of the other residents battling the intruders. He joined in.

First, he rushed the woman that had Felicia pinned down on the ground, trying to stab her. Jesus quickly slit her throat from behind before effortlessly moving on to the man that Esther was fighting.

To Jesus's amazement, when the man rushed her, she side stepped him and with the same fluency, jumped on his back, stabbing him repeatedly in his neck as they crashed to the ground. The man was lifeless but for added measure, she stabbed him twice more.

"Are you alright?" Jesus enquired.

"Fine as f*ck!"

She grinned at him as she moved away to murder someone else. Jesus turned to see two men had the jump on Rick. He ran at one like a freight train, taking the man to the ground.

Rick got his bearings and with renewed vigor at seeing Jesus at his side, began wailing on the man. Rick rammed the man's head into a nearby tree trunk and before he could recover, he brought a large stone down on his head and he didn't stop until he saw moist earth, glistering up at him. He turned to see Jesus had already put down his own.

"Don't get me wrong….I am glad to see you but why aren't you at the Hilltop?"

"It's the Saviours. They took over my home. They took over the Hilltop."********************

One of the bullets grazed Glen on his neck as the man fired at him. Glen zigzag until he reached the man. He pulled the trigger of his shot at the man which blew a massive hole in his stomach. he looked at Glen wide eyed and fell to the ground.

The man's accomplice had reach Glen, forcing him to the ground, knocking the gun out of his hand. The man plummeted Glen's face with his fist, laughing as he did so.

Glen mustered the last of his strength to pull a small hunting knife from his waist and dug into the exposed jugular. Hot blood sprayed all over his painful, pulsing face….the body collapsing on him. He wiped the blood off his face in time to see a figure standing over him.

"Get up!"************************

The dawn of the day was now breaking through the trees and in the distance, Rick, Abe, Jesus and the others saw the backs of fleeing men. Rick instructed half of his people to check along the south walls to make sure all of Negan's men are gone or dead while the rest of them will check the west wall along Alexandria.***********************

One hour later, Rick and Abe was counting the losses of their community. Dozens were dead and countless others injured. While some of the unharmed resident attended to the hurt ones, the rest gathered around Rick. He was making a head count when he realized that some of this immediate family was missing.

"Where's Glen and Daryl?!"

The residents began looking at one another when a voice spoke. They turned to see a bloody Carol walking up between the tired crowd.

"It was Negan… He took them."********************


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38: "Snapped"**

The group stared at Carol in shock and disbelief at her words.

"When?"

"Awhile ago. Just before the break of dawn. From what I could tell Daryl was unconscious but alive. Glen didn't have a choice either. I couldn't follow as I was too busy fighting off some of Negan's scumbags who had me pinned down."

Carol wiped the blood from her hands and clothes.

"Are you alright?"

"Better than them."

Rick's first thought were for Glen and Daryl's wives and children. They would be devastated. He instructed the residents to check on their families and then afterwards start to clean up.

' _Burn the bodies of the saviours and bury our own people.'_ He instructed. He and Abe then went inside to check on their own families. When they arrived at Maggie's, they only saw Enid and Maggie attending to the Elsa, Judith, Avery and Dominic.

"Where's Michonne and the others?!" He asked puzzled.

"Michonne's at the infirmary with Carl."

Rick automatically assuming the worst took off running towards the infirmary before Maggie could explain.

"Where's Sasha and Rosita?!"

"Rosita only made it to your house. They and the children are safe."

Abe nodded a sigh of relief and headed home.***********************

When Rick burst through the infirmary's door, his heart sank. In one corner of the room, he saw Carl and Tara holding on to each other, crying and comforting each other.

"Carl?"

Carl turned to him.

"Dad! She's dead!"

Directly infront of him on the floor, was Denise's lifeless body. There was blood everywhere. He stooped down over Denise's body. Tears began to swell in his eyes.

He followed the blood trail and saw it led to the other side of the room to Michonne's body slumped in a chair. She was covered in blood.

Rick let out a weak, inaudible cry as he dropped to his knees. It was enough for Michonne to wake from her daze and open her eyes.

"Rick?" She said weakly as she saw him on his knees.

Rick gasped and scrambled on hands and knees over to her. Michonne also dropped to her knees to meet him. The force with which Rick grabbed on to her pushed them back into the chair. Michonne bursted into tears.

"We couldn't save her! She's gone Rick! She's gone!" Michonne sobbed in his arms. He wiped away her tears, knowing how much Denise meant to her.

' _Tara…'_ Rick turned back to see his Carl and Tara still holding on to each other. He called them over. They rushed to him….Tara into Rick's arms and Carl's into his mother's.

"I'm so sorry…" Rick whispered into Tara's ear as she cries into his chest and he held her close.

Michonne kissed her son's forehead through his wet hair that was matted to his skin. He grabbed hold of her, crying uncontrollably.

Rick then pulled them close..the four of them huddled on the ground, mourning the loss of a dear, beloved family member.************************

Abe rushes into his house breathless.

"Abe!" Sasha called out to him as she rushed forward with Robyn in her arms towards him. He hugged them.

"Where's Daryl?" Rosita asked looking behind him.

Abe swallowed hard as both Sasha and Rosita was looking at him now.***************************

Sasha, Abe, Rick, Maggie, Michonne, Carl, Enid, Tara, Carol and Rosita stood in Rick's kitchen. Carol had just told them what she saw...that Negan had taken their husbands. Rosita and Maggie stared bewildered. Rosita then turned to Carol.

"Is he alive?!"

"I believe he is."

"Are you sure?!"

"Yes...I am sure."

Rosita cradled her son and sat at the kitchen counter tears flooding her eyes. It was Maggie's turn to grill Carol.

"You said you saw Glen. He was awake right?"

Carol nodded.

"Was he hurt?"

"He had blood on him but I don't think it was his."

"And he followed Negan willingly?"

"Trust me….he didn't have a choice."

Michonne went over to a broken Rosita as she rocked her son to sleep. She stooped down infront of the grieving wife and mother.

"He's hurt...and he's out there. Alone...with those people."

"We will get them back. I promise." Michonne tries to assure her.

"Yes we will!" Rick announced loudly. "We will and I know exactly who is going to help us."***************************

When the shooting started in the middle of the night, Paula thought she was dreaming. Then she heard the screams and the shouts of men coming from all directions.

"What the f*cks going on out there?!"

She dashed under her cot for cover as she heard windows breaking in the house above them. She looked at Daniel who seem to be oblivious to what's going on around him. He just stood there gazing at the stump for a hand.**************************

Daryl woke up to a throbbing pain in the back of his head and to someone calling his name.

"Daryl! Wake up! Wake up!"

Daryl slowly open his eyes. He saw a tied up Glen sitting next to him. He tried to move his hands and realized that he was tied up too.

"Where are we?"

"I don't know! They blindfolded me. This area doesn't look familiar."

Daryl finally sat up to observe his surroundings. There was about fifteen men moving around them..some were staring at them while others were eating.

A couple others were standing guard at the perimeter around their temporary forest camp. A man with a terribly scared face came up and gave them some food and water to share between themselves. They recognized him as the prick who shot Rick and Michonne, almost killing her and her babies.

They stared at him and watched as he walked away subconsciously touching his face. They then watched defiantly as Negan walked up to them. He grinned down at them.

"You're gonna help me take over Alexandria."*****************************

Carol looked at Rosita annoyed. Her eyes was red and puffy. Rick was on the walkie talkie coordinating the cleanup efforts.

"You should be grateful! Daryl's still alive."

Rosita turned to her.

"What did you just say?!"

She rose to face Carol, who was already standing on her feet. Michonne and Maggie looked at the women. Abe had just walked back into the kitchen.

"Daryl's alive! You should be grateful! Not everyone was so lucky to say goodbye!"

The room was engulfed in an awkward silence as the women glared at each other. Rosita's eyes glistened over with tears.

Maggie walked over and moved Rosita to the room. Michonne held Carol at the shoulders. They looked at each other for a few seconds.

"Are you ok?"

Carol pulled away from her.

"I'm fine."

She went outside. Michonne turned to follow when Rick stopped her.

"I'll go."***********************

Rick met Carol leaning up at the back of the house puffing furiously on a cigarette. Rick leaned up next to her. They said nothing for a couple minutes. Then without warning Carol bursted into tears. Rick hugged her. ***********************

Rick, Abe and Michonne stood outside Paula and Daniel's cell door. Paula looked at the body dynamics between Rick and Michonne as they stood before her.

' _This is his wife...sure of it.'_ Michonne saw the fear in her eyes when Rick began massaging the red handle machete. Paula looked between Abe and Rick then from Rick to Michonne, her eyes pleading for her to intervene.

Michonne grinned as she stepped back. Rick and Abe entered the cells. Rick dragged a screaming Paula outside with Abe pulling a nearly there catatonic Daniel behind.

Both Rick and Abe dragged their prisoners out into the streets of Alexandria. Michonne followed. Some of the residents stopped what they were doing to observe the scene.

"Are you going to let him do this?!" Paula shouted to Michonne. "I'm a woman!"

"I lost friends and family today. Being a woman didn't stop you from attacking us before...now did it? We need information and we're going to get it anyway we can."

Ned put two concrete cylinder blocks together to create a mini platform. Two other men came forward and forced Paula to kneel with her left hand outstretched on the blocks.

"Please don't do this!" She cried as she looked around at the crowd that was now gathering. Rick slid the machete free from his waist. Paula whimpered.

"I'm going to ask this once. Tell me where Negan's other two camps are…. _now!"_

"I swear I don't know where it is! Only a privilege few closest to Negan knows the location of all the camps!

She gasped for breath.

"I am telling the truth!"

"Not good enough!" Rick signalled and Rosita and Maggie stepped forward. Rick handed the machete to Rosita.

"All yours." He said calmly.

Rosita pressed the sharp tool against Paula's little finger.

"Your boss took our husbands. Where is he?"

"I don't know! I swear!"

Not satisfied, Rosita presses the machete against the finger...slowly and painfully severing it. Paula wiggled violently and screamed. The severed finger rolled to the ground.

Daniel laughed in the background to Paula's dismay.

"Ok...let's try this again. Where is Negan?!"

"If I knew I would tell you!"

Rosita pressed the machete on the next finger.

"Mercy!" Paula cried out but she was ignored.

Blood ran down the sides of the blocks.

"No!" Paula screamed as she saw her next finger being severed.

Rosita pressed hard and the finger rolled loose. Paula watched as the blood poured from her severed fingers….the excruciating pain had started to numb her hands.

Daniel started laughing mechanically causing several of the residents, including Rick, Abe, Michonne and Paula. He was looking at his own severed hand and pointing at Paula.

"We're the same now...you're just like me!" He laughed...holding up his stump.

"This guy's a few grapes short of a bunch!" Abe said looking at Rick as Daniel knelt down infront of him.

"Not buying it!" Rick said as he stalked towards them.

The laughter instantly dried up from Daniel's throat. He quickly surveyed the crowd around him and saw what he was looking for. Rick followed Daniel's gaze and saw when Daniel turned and smiled at him.

"No!" Rick roared as he reached out to grab Daniel. Abe saw the rage in Rick's eyes but before he could react, Daniel made a mad dash from infront of him and towards his target.*************************

Steven didn't have time to process everything. He saw Daniel dashing towards him and had no idea what he was trying to accomplish until Daniel grabbed onto his waist.

"Stop him!" Rick boomed but it was too late. Daniel pulled Steven's blade from his waist holder and passed it quick and deep over his own neck.

He slumped to the ground, knife still in hand…blood pumping from his neck. Rick turned him over on his back and while trying to stop the bleeding, noticed that Daniel was smiling up at him.

As a final act of defiance, Daniel leaned back his head opening the large slit in his throat. The warm blood sprayed up into Rick's face.

This further enraged Rick as he tried unsuccessfully to save Daniel from bleeding out. However it was futile. As the blood pooled around Daniel's throat the smile faded from his lips. A minute later he was dead.*****************

Jesus observed Negan's camp from a safe distance. He saw that Daryl and Glen was tied up but relatively unharmed. He also saw the brief exchange between Negan and his friends.

Jesus was lucky enough to get to follow Negan and his group unseen. He made sure to move when they moved and stop when they stopped. Now the best thing he could be right now is to remain hidden and hope for a vital break.*************************

Rick slowly got up. A few of the residents stepped away from him. When he turned around, they saw something frightening. Rick's face was contorted...unrecognizable. Abe and the rest of Alexandrians have never seen this side of Rick before.

Michonne have though. It was the same feral Rick that surfaced when Joe and the rest of the Claimers tried to rape her and Carl infront of Rick to try to break him into submission.

That didn't turn out so well for them. Now this feral Rick had set his sights on Paula as he slowly walked towards her. Maggie have seen Rick primal but not like this.

However she have seen this side of Rick on Glen when Merle had taken her and Glen hostage back to Woodsbury. They had been separated when they were brought to Woodsbury.

When the Governor brought her in half naked and bruised, Glen was besides himself thinking that she was violated. He raged at the Governor and Merle and was even angry at Rick for sometime when he didn't allow him to kill Merle for what he did to her.

Maggie actually felt sorry for Paula but she wasn't going to stand in Rick's way. Rick had almost reached Paula when the two men who was holding her down let her go and backed away in fear.

Before Rick could reach her, Michonne intercepted...hugging him. She held on to him tight, holding his face against hers. His breathing was rapid and slowly she calmed him down as she whispered to him.

"Not like this baby...not like this."

His breathing soon became more steadied...relaxed..calmer. They looked into each other eyes and Michonne interlocked her hands in his trembling blood soaked ones.

They stood there for a good three minutes oblivious to their surroundings..to the people who were watching them in utter amazement.

"You want me to deal with this?"

Rick eyes searched hers as he squeezed her hand. There was always this means of silent communication between them that only they understood. Rick was losing control and Michonne always pulls him back..grounding him.

She wiped away the blood from his lips and kissed him gently. He swallowed hard. Michonne turned and walked up to Paula.

"You don't know how lucky you are."

Michonne nodded to Abe who dragged a bleeding Paula back to her cell. The crowd quickly disassembled. *************************

Michonne instructed that Daniel's body be burned. A small funeral service was held for Denise and Tara cried uncontrollably. Rick sat at the back of the church as Father Gabriel said his offerings.

Michonne stood at the podium and said a few words on behalf of her family and resumed sitting next to her husband and her children. When Denise was buried, a great loss was felt over the community. It will have a ripple effect like no other.************************

Michonne was outside burning Rick's bloody clothes. As the fire burned she knew the anger that Rick felt when Daniel killed himself. He took away some of Rick's power, his leverage.

When they first came to Alexandria, Rick was the most resistant to this new way of life and it's people but in time, he has come to love these people as his own. When one of them dies it takes away a little piece of him each time.

Rick knows they need Paula alive more than ever...he just can't see it yet that's why she has to be his eyes now as he was her will power when she was shot and unconscious.

Michonne sees right now that Paula is the only shot for getting Glen and Daryl home to their anxious families and she needs to be alive for that to happen*******************


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39: "Bargaining Chips"**

Michonne looked at a sleeping Rick on the bed. It has been a difficult 24hrs for the community. They have had many losses between the first and second attacks by the Saviours.

Their numbers have dwindled significantly and they are low on food. In addition to that Rick told her that according to Jesus, the Saviours have taken over their major food source, the Hilltop.

However, it doesn't appear that Negan knows the connection between the two communities...atleast for now. This can be used to their advantage.

Michonne pulled the covers over her husband, kissed him and went downstairs. In the living room seated, waiting for her was Rosita, Sasha, Maggie and Carol.

The children were all there with them. Carl and Enid were out with the rest of the community, trying to do repairs and clean up as best as they can. Michonne took her seat.

"This has to stop."************************

Trevor looked at their prisoners as they surveyed and assess their captors. He walked over to Negan.

"What are we going to do?"

Negan smiled at him.

"We are going to wait."***********************

Jesus looked on and assessed the situation. It doesn't appear that Negan and his group are in any hurry to move off to another location. They have relatively secured this temporary camp.

Jesus has two choices….either he goes back and bring Rick and company to this location to finish this once and for all or he can keep watch and hope that they lead him to their community.

For now, the best bet he has is to wait and see and be ready to possibly intervene should they try to harm Glen and Daryl. He prays it doesn't come to that.**********************

Patricia was rationing out food supplies in the pantry for the residents at the Hilltop when one of Negan's men Wally walked in and began eating some of the fruits out of one of the baskets.

"Hey!" She shouted at him.

"What? What are _you_ going to do about it?"

Wally was up in her face, grinning at her. The next thing Patricia knew was that her hand was on a knife buried in Wally's neck. She pulled out the knife slowly and watched as Wally fell to the floor...bleeding out infront of her.

He was looking up at her in shock and confusion. She looked at her hand clutching the bloody knife. He was about to gasped out when she quickly bent down and covered his mouth with her hand.

He struggled against her but she knelt down on his one of his arms while she held the other with her free hand. A minute later it was all over. Suddenly she felt a presence in the room. She looked up and saw Dr Bryce looking at her.************************

"How's Rick?"

"He's asleep."

"No.. I mean how _is_ he? I have never seen Rick like that before." Rosita stressed.

Michonne face saddened abit.

"I have. Just after the prison fell. We were ambushed by a group who called themselves the Claimers. They said Rick killed one of their own. They were going to rape me and Carl infront of him."

"What?"

"Let's just say it didn't go too well for them."

"From what I saw today I believe you. If you didn't step in, he would have shredded Paula." Maggie chuckled. Then she got serious for abit.

"I'm worried for Tara. Denise was her world and now she's gone. Where is she?"

"She's at my house." Carol informed them.

"Alone?"

"No. Some of the ladies are there to keep an eye on her. She can't be left alone..not in that state."

Carol now turned to Rosita.

"I'm sorry for what I said. It was cruel and insensitive."

"You are still grieving for Tobin…..I get it. It's all forgotten." Rosita smiled.

There was a moment of silence between the women as they all mulled over what has happened over the past 24hrs. Maggie was the first one to broach the topic that was on everyone's mind.

"We can't take another hit. We have lost alot of people, our rations are running low."

"I know and it's not like we could go to the Hilltop. That place is in Negan's grasp now."

"That's our only advantage right now. Him not knowing we are connected to the place."

"Maybe not."

The rest of the ladies looked at Michonne.

"We have Paula. Maybe we could make a trade. His people for our people."

"That could work but…"

"What?"

"It would have been nice if Daniel was alive still. Even the trade..two for two."

"We're lucky to even have one..thanks to Michonne. Rick completely snapped."

"I never thought I would have seen _that_ Rick again. I don't want to see him lose himself."

"You are the best thing to ever happen to Rick. Everyone here knows that. _That_ Rick tend to come out for the people he loves. That's you Michonne and the kids and all of us."

The women chuckled individually about their respective mates and the strong bond they share with each other.

"So to do this bargain...what? Do we go out and search for Negan's camp or do we wait for them to come to us?" Carol asked.

"To go out there we need people...we already lost so many and I am pretty sure no one wants to leave the relative safety of Alexandria right now. We would also need food if we are to go out there...we are low on that too. As much as I would like to go out there and hunt these animals down….we just can't. Not right now."

"But we just can't sit here, doing nothing and wait for them to come to us…..we can't leave Glen and Daryl out there!" Maggie protested. Rosita nodded in agreement with her.

"I think Daryl and Glen are safe." Carol said.

Rosita and Maggie turned to look at her.

"Hear me out. Negan could have killed both Daryl and Glen if he wanted too. Instead he _took them._ There is a reason for that…" She paused. "I think Negan is thinking just like Michonne. He wants to trade and to do that he would harm the only thing he has to bargain with. He _wants_ Alexandria and Daryl and Glen is the only way he can make a play for it."

As much as it pains both Maggie and Rosita, Carol is right. The only way to ensure their husbands safety is to wait for Negan to come to them.*********************************

When Rick woke up from his day long slumber it was late evening with the sun already setting. Slowly, he got up. He was alone in the room and the house was quiet….too quiet. Rick panicked and rushed downstairs.

There, he saw Michonne, Carl and Enid with Dominic, Avery and Judith in the kitchen. Michonne was at the stove making pancakes and Judith was in her chair eating a sandwich.

Enid and Carl had the twins who was squirming vigorously in their arms.

"Dad?!"

They all turned and saw a disheveled Rick at the bottom of the stairs looking at them.

"Rick? Are you ok?"

Michonne turned off the stove and was staring at him, obvious concern etched on her face. He swallowed hard.

"Yes. I am ok. When I woke up it was so quiet. I got worried." Michonne walked up to him and hugged him. He buried his face in the nook of her neck.********************

Sasha walked into the room and saw Abe holding their daughter in his arms. He was gently rocking her...she was smiling up at him. He nudged his lips in the tenders of her tummy and she laughed out happily.

It was good seeing father and daughter having some alone time despite all the craziness that have been going on around them. Instinctively, she passed her hand over her stomach where a baby once were.

She closed her eyes and then opened them to see Abe looking at her concerned.

"I am ok." She assured him. She walked up to him and they kissed passionately.***********************

The words of Carol kept ringing in her ears. ' _Daryl and Glen are safe. Negan didn't killed them instead he took them...it must be for a reason….'_ Unfortunately those words provided no form of comfort as she curled up on the bed with their son and cried. She wanted her husband home with her.********************

As Maggie gave Elsa a bath, she chose to keep a positive outlook of the whole situation.

"Daddy is coming back to us. I promise."*******************

Rick, Abe and a few of the other men discussed the suggestion that Michonne and the other ladies had put forward.

"They do have a point but I still want to go out there. It doesn't have to be a whole lot of us but we should atleast try. Daryl and Glen would do it if it was one of us.

"We don't have the supplies to even go out there." Ned argued. "I say we stay here."

"And what? Hope for the best?!" Abe raged. "If we stay here we don't know what Negan is planning...what he is doing to them out there is reason enough to go after them. Sitting here and waiting for them to come to us is suicide!"

Frederick, after hearing all different opinions decided to add his.

"On the fact alone that Negan didn't kill them is a good sign." He caught the glare of Abe. "I didn't say the best sign...but it gives us something to work with. Negan wants something. Hell! We already know what Negan wants..he wants Alexandria. We could use this to our advantage."

"What if this is what Negan wants?" Ned reasoned. "For us to lose our heads..go out looking for him and while we are out there, he comes back and attacks again? We don't know where they are but the one thing we do know is that they have the numbers on us. We don't know how many of them are actually _out there!"_ They have atleast two more camps that we know of. One man controlling that many people is not someone to be f*cked with. We have to be absolutely sure that if we do go out there..we are going to find him _and actually kill him."_

He paused.

"Dont get me wrong...I don't like the idea of leaving our people out there but at this point we can't guarantee it will work if we go out and it's way too risky to even try."

The men all looked at Rick.

"Whatever you decide Rick we are behind you."

 **Three days later************************

It has been a torturous three days for Maggie and Rosita without their loved ones but it was made bearable by the love and support they received.

They both took up extra shifts at the front gate leaving their children with the other ladies. They reasoned that should the slight chance that Glen and Daryl escaped, they wanted to be the first ones to greet them home.

Rick had held a meeting two days ago with the rest of the community to decide what should be the next step. He laid out all the facts of the situation before them. People voiced their various opinions and then a vote was taken.

The results was close with only five votes more deciding that they should adopt the wait and see approach but only on the condition that if more than seven days have passed without any word for their enemy..they would mobilize and bring our people home..be damn the cost.

However, now after three days, tensions are running high and everyone is becoming agitated by either fear of the unknown or expressing doubts if they had maybe made the wrong decision.************************

Jesus stomach growled at him. He hasn't eaten for three days since he began staking out Negan's camp site. In addition to that he was almost caught by one of Negan's people twice in one day yesterday.

He saw that although Daryl and Glen remained tied up and was under heavy guard, they were treated fairly well. This means that Negan wants to trade…Rick's people in exchange for their service to him. Jesus kept his head down and continue observing.*********************

' _Hmmmm. Rick is smarter than I thought.'_ Negan reasoned to himself. ' _He hasn't left Alexandria looking for his people as he was hoping that they would do and leave Alexandria a little less more vulnerable. It's been three days now and according to his men no one has been seen on the road or anywhere near their camp. That means that he will have to use the two bargaining chips that he have. Oh well...so be it.'_

Negan signalled to the men.

"Pack up. We're going back to Alexandria."****************

"Where is he?!" Neil shouted.

Neil had all of the Hilltop residents lined up and kneeling before him.

"Where is Wally?!"

Dr Bryce answered.

"Like I told you three days. Wally said he needed some fresh air and went outside the gate. We haven't seen him since."

Neil hit the Dr hard across his face.

"You expect me to believe that bullshit?! Do I look like a f*cking idiot to you! Do it?! Wally has been missing for three days! I know one of your had something to so with it!"

No one said anything. In a rage, Neil grabbed a teenage boy's head and put a gun to it.

"I'm counting to three and if no one tells me what I want to know….he _dies!'_

The boy closes his eyes as his mother screamed out they don't know what happened to Wally. Two of the other men grabbed Neil and pulled him off the boys, who scrambled back to his mother unharmed.

"Get off of me!" Neil screamed at the men who dragged him behind the manor house. When they finally released him..he was raging.

"Calm down!"

"Dont f*cking tell me to calm down! Wally is my brother!"

"We know that but Negan left instructions that these people are not to be harmed in any way."

"And what about my brother?!"

"Negan will deal with that when he comes back. Trust me...if they had something to do with your brother's disappearance they will pay."

Neil spat on the ground and walked off.******************

The evening breeze was cool and inviting but no one was in the mood for relaxing. It was Maggie who first saw the large group approaching them.

"They're coming back!" She shouted out.

Carl ran for his father as the other residents began to gather at the gate. Ten minutes later, Negan was standing outside Alexandria's main gate facing Rick, Abe, Maggie and Rosita.

Negan's people were standing behind him fully armed. So was Rick's people. Daryl and Glen were bound, gagged and kneeling between the two leaders as the bargaining chips they are.*************************


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40: "Not Equals"**

Rick and Negan have been staring at each other for the past ten minutes through Alexandria's front gate. Tensions was running high, especially for Maggie and Rosita seeing Glen and Daryl on their knees infront of their enemy.

They are so close but yet so far and it's killing them inside. They try to put on a brave face but their feet betrayed them as they shift anxiously from one side to another. Rick slowly gave a nod and the gate that divided the two warring factions creepily slid open.

Without hesitation, both Maggie and Rosita rushed out to meet their husbands. Two of Negan's men made a move to step between the uniting couples but Negan quickly commanded them not to.

Both wives dropped to their knees and began showering their mates with affection. They realized that both men were physically ok but mentality could be a different story. After ten minutes Negan has had it.

"Enough!" He barked, causing both Maggie and Rosita to spring to their feet.

"What do you want?!" Maggie demanded angrily.

In response to her question, Negan swung the barbed wire bat he had on his shoulder and placed it on Glen's. Glen looks up at his wife..terrified. Then he put it on Daryl's shoulder.

It was Rosita who was afraid now. Negan waved the ladies back into their community but they refused to budge. Instead they chose to stare Negan straight in his eyes. It was cold...calculating.

Rick walked outside and gently tapped the ladies on their shoulders. They turned to face him and he saw their fear. They wiped away their tears as they walked back inside the gates.***********************

Michonne had heard when Maggie called out that Negan and his people were back. Despite her objections, Maggie and Rosita demanded to be present when Rick and Negan negotiate.

The children were all safe at Carol's house with Enid, Tara and some other ladies just in case something were to pop off. Michonne, Sasha, Carl and some other residents were scattered throughout Alexandria, hidden.

They choose locations close to the east, west and south gates just to make sure that none of Negan's men are at these entrances preparing to infiltrate them again.

They were all armed with walkie talkies and only a secret word needs to be spoken for them to rally into action. So far the coast seems to be clear.***********************

Ignoring Negan's smirks, Rick stooped down to Daryl and Glen's level. He took off their mouth guards so they can speak.

"Are you two alright?"

Glen nodded but Daryl was more defiant.

"Don't give this son of a bitch anything Rick! You hear me?! Nothing!"

Without warning, Negan hit Daryl flush against his back. The barb wire pierced the shirt and dug into Daryl's skin. It drew blood.

"No!" Rosita screamed. Maggie grabbed and stopped her from running back out the gate.

"No!" Daryl yelled at her. "Don't come any closer!"

"You mother f*cker!" Rick roared at Negan.

In those seconds, the sound of guns clicking could be heard. Rick looked around and saw that both his people and Negan's people had their guns pointing at each other, ready to pull their triggers. It would be a bloodbath if any shooting were to take place at this present moment.

"Just give me the word Rick! Right here..right now! Let's blow this f*cker's head off.!"

Abe was full on agitated as he watched his friend writhe in pain on the ground infront of them.

"You're not the sharpest tool in the shed….are you Red?!"

Abe smiled.

"Why don't you put down that bat of yours and come over here. Let's test that theory!"

Negan laughed loudly.

"Another day for me and you Red...another day."

Negan turned his attention back to Rick again.

"So.."

"What do you want?"

"I told you what I want."

"That's not going to happen."

"Well we have a problem then."

"No...we don't"

Rick signalled and two of his people brought out Paula. She was placed to kneel infront of Rick.

"You give me my people… I give you your people and we go our separate ways."

Negan looked at Rick genuinely insulted. Rick clenched his jaw.

"What the f*ck am I to do with her?"

Negan gave her a once look over, then laughed.

"Let's just say for my own amusement I do decide to take you up on your offer...you're still one person short."

Rick eyes narrowed.

"You give me one of mine and I give you _one_ of yours. That's how fair trading works."

Negan looked over at Maggie and Rosita, then back at Rick.

"So choose. Who are you going to take and who are you going to leave?"***********************

Michonne was on her fifth walk along the south wall when she heard the around of leaves rustling outside the walls by the south gate. Ned..her companion, heard it too.

Slowly cautiously, they crept up and stood against the wall at the end of the gate. They saw a gloved hand trying to open the gate from the outside.

Michonne held her katana in hand and Ned, his 9mm ready to strike. One minute later the lock fell off and the gate slowly opened.

Michonne raised her weapon over her head ready to cut in half the unfortunate soul trying to invade her home. The man pushed through his head and Michonne brought her sword down.******************

"You're worried. About Negan?"

Renee looked at her daughter and chuckled slightly.

"Hmmm. Is it that obvious?"

"No...but I know you. You're biting again….your nails."

Sure enough Renee had bitten down the nails of her right thumb and index fingers. Jasmine sat next to her mother, looking at her.

"It's ok to feel something. To love again."

"What?"

"Negan. You love him..or at least you're starting to."

Renee remained quiet.

"It's ok. I love him too. I see him as my father. I love him like a father. That's a good thing right?!"

Renee and Jasmine both looked at each other looking for assurance from the other.

"Do you still want to know about your father?"

The question took Jasmine by surprise.

"I don't know." She said quietly. "I just gave up asking after you refused to tell me. Do you want to?"

"It's not about what I want anymore. That choice has been taken away from me." Renee murmured to herself.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. I am willing to tell you if you want to know about him."

"You're scaring me. Do I even want to?!"

Renee saw both hope and fear in Jasmine's eyes.

' _Finally..'_ Jasmine thought. ' _Answers to some of her burning questions. The look on her mother's face worried her though. What is the benefit of knowing about her biological father after 18years? What wounds will she be opening up for her mother if she talks after all these years? Is it worth the risk?'_

Jasmine looked at her mother as she waits patiently for her response.

"Jasmine? What will it be? This is a one time offer of full disclosure..on everything."

Jasmine took her mother's hand in hers.

"I am good mom. You and Negan are my parents. That's all I need."

Renee breathe a quiet sigh of relief as they embraced.*****************************

"Jesus! I could have killed you! Where the hell have you been?!"

Michonne looked at Jesus who was rubbing the back of his neck where the katana had touch. There was a small cut at the back of his neck. They looked over the Ned who was puking against the wall having almost witnessed the near beheading of a friend.

"Is he gonna be alright?"

"Yeah."

"That's the last time I will be sticking my head out anywhere. That thing is sharp!"

Michonne smiled proudly at first and then got serious.

"Let me see."

Jesus turned to let her inspect him. She now sees why Ned became ill. There was a thin red line across Jesus's neck.

"I am sooo sorry! I thought one of Negan's men was trying to get in. Rick is at the front gate trying to negotiate with Negan as we speak."

"That's why I was missing and why I'm here now."***********************************

"No dice. I am not leaving any of my people with you. I give you Paula, you give me Glen and Daryl. That's it. _That's the deal!"_

Negan roared with laughter for a minute to Rick's annoyance and impatience.

"I get it now! You seem to be under the misguided, mistaken impression that we are both standing here as equals when that is the furthest thing from the truth."

"You know what we can do..what we are capable of."

"That I do. But you have no idea what l'm capable of. You see...I know _exactly_ where you are. I came down here out of common courtesy. Anyone who has the balls to attack not one but _two_ of my camps deserves my respect and also my anger."

"You started this!"

"That's debatable but I am going to end it. So tell you what…..how about I keep these two lovely gentlemen with me and I post my men around your community. Anyone tries to leave will be killed. Anyone who tries to get in will be killed. Slowly you and your people will starve. When people are starving Rick they become angry and what do you think a group of starving, angry people will do Rick? What they always do...turn on their leader."

"What's to stop that from happening to you?"

"Because I am willing to do whatever it takes to provide for my people. You think that you could survive in this world on your own...oblivious to everything around you?! With that kind of thinking you aren't safe….you will _never_ be safe. You know that now."

Rick clenched his jaw.

"I can make you safe...I don't want to hurt or kill any of you but I will...just to make a point. You may have taken care of two of my camps but as I know you have already learned from my dear friend here we have more camps. Do you want to take a chance of finding out how many more?"

To enforce his words, Negan pushed Daryl with his foot onto his belly and placed one of his feet on Daryl's back. He cries out in pain.

"Stop! Please stop! Don't hurt him anymore!" Rosita cried.

"So what's it going to be Rick? Choice number 1 or choice number 2?"***********************

Michonne listened as Jesus explained that he saw when Negan took Daryl and Glen, that he followed them to their temporary campsite where they stayed for three days and that he followed them back here.

"You were watching over them the whole time?"

"They are my friends."

"Thank you!"

"I was kinda hoping they would have gone back to their home base. See where the other camps are or atleast which camp Negan is in."

"That would have been great!"

"Negotiating is the only option we have right now."

"It's what he wants in return is what bothers me."**************************

Rick knew that his options were limited. It's a fact that they still don't know how many camps or people Negan really does have. Working for Negan makes him physically ill but not as ill as having to choose which of his friends gets to come home to his family and which one has to remain with Negan. The other alternative is deadly as it could mean the slow starvation of his people. He remember what it was like being out on the road for weeks without food or water when Judith was just a baby. Now he has Elsa, Robyn, Caleb, Avery and Dominic to be concerned about. Rick turned and walked back to Maggie and Rosita.

"Tick tok Rick."

Rick whispered to the ladies.

"I'm not taking option 2. We can't risk us being picked off one by one or slowly starving to death...all of us."

Both ladies nodded in agreement.

"That leaves us with option 1." Rick slowly shook his head. "I can't choose who gets to come home while the other one stays." Rick paused then quickly walk back to Negan.

"Hmmm. That was quick. So which is it? 1 or 2?"

"3."

Negan looked at Rick curiously.

"I'm listening."

"If I should agree to work for you both Glen _and_ Daryl get to come home to their wives."

Rick points towards Maggie and Rosita.

"Look at them. They want their husbands home. I'm sure you have someone that you are anxious to get back to. Show them the same kindness and respect and what a great leader you are."

Negan picked up the sting of sarcasm in Rick's tone.

"Dont f*cking patronize or try to mind f*ck me! I know how great I am."

Negan looked at the women and Renee instantly came to his mind. He would absolutely lose his mind if Renee is ever separated from him. He has to give Rick some major points for this move.

"Fine…"

Maggie and Rosita rushed forward, helped their husbands to their feet and carried them inside.

"But.." Negan interjected. "Some of my men stay here..in Alexandria. _That's_ my final offer."

Rick agreed. Having a few of Negan's people inside the community where he can watch them is better than having a whole lot of them out there and not knowing anything.

"Good. I'll be back in five days to collect half of _my_ stuff." Negan said grinning at him.

Rick walked back into the community while Negan and his men congregate outside. Two minutes later four men stepped forward as the ones chosen by Negan to stay. Rick watched as the rest of the men left with Negan.

Rick assigned an empty house for the men to stay in and left instructions for the men to be watched 24/7. They are to be their shadows. The rest of the community slowly moved off to their duties.

After checking on Glen and Daryl, Rick wearily went home.

Michonne immediately summoned him upstairs. Rick followed.

"How did it go?"

"As well as it can be expected. Four of his men were left here….to keep us in line...to keep an eye on us."

Rick saw the distressed look on her face.

"It couldn't be helped. It was the only way to bring both Glen and Daryl home."

Michonne hugged him.

"You brought us together...made us whole again." She kissed him. "You did good."

Rick smiled and started kissing her. She pulled away which puzzled Rick.

"I think I found a way to get us out of this. It will take some time and very careful planning…..and it involves Jesus."

Rick face lit up.

"Jesus is here? Where is he?"

Michonne grinned.**************************


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41: "Dominion"**

When Negan arrived back at the Sanctuary it was nightfall. The guards were changing shifts at the front gate and Jasmine was now being relieved of her duties.

She was the first person he greeted. She hugged him tightly. He enquired about her mother and was told that she may have retired for the night already.

When Negan entered their bedroom, Renee was already on the bed sleeping. She was clad in one of Negan's white T-shirt and sexy red boy shorts.

In ten minutes, Negan had quickly taken a shower, dressed and quietly slipped in behind Renee on the bed. He put his arms around her and pulled his body close to hers. She interlocked her fingers in his as he spooned her.

"Hey…" She said softly.

"Hey..I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't wake me...I was just resting my eyes."

He pulled her into him for a more snug fit. He loved the warmth and scent of her body.

"How did it go? You had me worried."

He was touched by her concern.

"You was worried about me?"

"Yeah. I always do."

"Well we found the people who attacked the camps..they now work for us."

Negan felt her body stiffened and he knew what she wanted to ask next.

"No….I didn't kill anybody."

It was then he felt the tension in her body relaxed abit when she turned to face him..eyes wide open.

"I swear."

"Ok."

She put her head against his chest.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah."

She was hesitant at first to speak.

"I talked to Jasmine about her father today. Well not actually talked but gave her the option of whether or not she wants to know about him….full disclosure on everything."

Negan laid on his back pulling Renée to lay halfway across him. They both said nothing for a few minutes.

"And?" Negan's voice sounded anxious..Renée picked up on that.

"She said she didn't want to know. She'd lived 18yrs without him. Knowing about him will be of no benefit to her now."

"Good."

"I can't tell you how relieved I was to hear her say that. Besides...she said she already has a father."

Negan felt the tension in Renée's body had returned with that statement. To reassure her, he pulled her on him fully while pushing himself in an upright position. She was now straddling his lap.

"I consider her my kid so the feeling is mutual."

Negan was happy when a smile appeared on her lips. Seeing Renée happy makes him happy.

"You ever think about having another baby?"

Renee pulled away from him slightly.

"What? Like now?!"

"I mean like ever...after Jasmine was born?"

"Given what happened I lost interest in sex or being close to anyone for years so no…..I never considered having another baby."

There was a moment of silence between them.

"You are the only person I've been with since."

She looked him in the eye.

"Given what the world is now a baby could be a blessing and a curse. Why are you asking me this?"

"Nothing."

She held his gaze.

"Do you want to have a baby? With me?"

He frowned abit.

"Yeah. Why not? I have been thinking about it alot since we got together. We are settled here and things are good."

Negan noticed the expression on Renée's face.

"Hey…we are good right?"

"Yeah..but I'm not sure about having a baby. It's not about you and me. I think we will be great parents but the world _right now_ is not exactly baby friendly. We both know that."

Renée felt pained at the disappointed expression on Negan's face. She tried to cheer him up.

"Look at it this way. It's not like we are using any protection so it could just happen. Let's just not make it an active priority to get pregnant. Deal?!"

"Deal."

A grin appeared on Negan's face as he pushed his hand down her shorts, slipped two fingers inside and started fingering her. She groaned and began to get slick. She put her hand over his and pushed his fingers in deeper. She had a sharp intake of breath.

"What are you doing?" She gasped. "I thought we agreed that we wouldn't actively try to get pregnant."

"We're not. I am just going to improve my chances of it _just happening."_

With that, he flipped her over on her back.*********************

Gregory was getting abit restless at the Hilltop. It has been days since he has been here. Although it has been his home since the world went to hell..he didn't want to be here anymore.

Since he saw Renée again after so many years he was very keen on rekindling some kind of attachment to her despite her present relationship with Negan.

' _Hmmm. If only their child had survived then it would have been easier to be around her all the time under the pretense for the sake of their kid. The child would have been 18yrs old by now if he remembered correctly. He would have loved to have a daughter...one who looked just like her mom or even him. It wouldn't have mattered though. Being tied to Renée for life is satisfaction enough for him. Even if they didn't get back together he would have been a constant presence in her life...something he knew she would have hated but wouldn't have had a choice in the matter. I'm sure their kid would have wanted to know who their father was and knowing Renée, despite her feelings about him she wouldn't have denied the child that chance to get to know him. Such a bitter pill she would have needed to swallow. Hahaha!_

Gregory saw one of Negan's men walking the perimeter and approached him.

"When are we going back to the Sanctuary?"

"When the boss says so. Besides, there isn't a 'we' going back. You're staying here. This is your community, your home."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Ok. Let me break it down slowly. You are from here. These are your people. Your people work for Negan's people. That's the way it works. You are not coming back with any of us to the Sanctuary….comprende?!"

"This isn't my home anymore!"

"That's ok but neither is the Sanctuary."

The man was getting annoyed at Gregory.

"Look man...whatever issues you have take it up with the boss when you see him..ok?"

The man walked off on him. Gregory turned and saw Dr Bryce watching him. He had witnessed the whole exchange and had a broad smile on his face.

"Things not going according to plan?!"

"F*ck you!"

"You already did that by bringing these people to our gates. I am seeing it's your turn to be f*cked now. Doesn't feel good, does it?"

The Dr chuckled as Gregory stared daggers at him.

"Feel free to leave anytime. I guarantee no one will stop you."

Gregory walked off.****************************

 _ **The next day**_

Rick woke up but he wasn't too particularly cheery. It is the first day under Negan's rule and it was difficult for him to accept. He will need his family, especially Michonne to keep his unsettling, raging emotions in check now more than ever before.

Rick had assigned a house not too far from the rest of the houses but not one too close either for Negan's men to occupy. Five people were already assigned to be Rick's eyes and ears to keep tabs on them.

He was now on his way to gather the council members to listen to the plan that Michonne and Jesus had concocted. Since Denise's death, Alexandria is now without a doctor. They can't risk seeking help from Dr Bryce at the Hilltop and expose their connection.

Tara had been under training with Denise and does have some medical knowledge so for now..she will have to be the town's doctor. Sasha, Michonne, Maggie and Rosita have all vowed to be extra careful with the little ones so as to minimize them getting seriously ill for any reason.

Sasha, Carol, Michonne, Maggie, Rosita, Rick, Abe, Glen all congregated at Rick's house. Ignoring Rosita's objections, Daryl insisted to be at the meeting despite his injuries. Enid and some of the other ladies looked after the children at Carol's house.

Michonne had everyone's undivided attention.

"When Negan took Glen and Daryl, Jesus saw him and managed to follow them to their temporary camp in the forest. He stayed there hidden to keep an eye on Glen and Daryl to make sure they were ok and also in hopes that Negan would eventually go back to their home. In this way, we would know where Negan's camp is or at least the one that he himself was staying at."

"That was good thinking." Abe observed.

"I didn't even see him for the whole three days where we were held. Did you see him?"

Daryl shook his head.

"Nah..I didn't."

"Well..he was there and he almost got caught twice too."

"Thank God he didn't!" Rosita quipped.

"Yes. When Negan eventually decided to move out Jesus thought that he was heading to his home. So when he realized that he was heading back here he came around the back and tried to slip in through the south gate unseen."

Michonne shook her head.

"He almost lost his head for that move."

"What?"

Everyone was looking at her confused.

"I thought he was one of Negan's men trying to get in. I...I almost beheaded him."

"F*ck!" Abe exclaimed

"I'm sorry! Ned puked his guts out."

Everyone was quiet.

"Anyway. Since they have taken over both here and the Hilltop we decided that since Negan has never seen Jesus or knows that he belong to the Hilltop I thought it is best for him to stay out there...be our eyes and ears on the outside since it looks like we will have eyes on us in here. In fact Negan and his people doesn't even know half of our people so why send Jesus alone out there?"

They looked at her abit confused."

"Jesus told me that before he met Rick and Abe he had an encounter with some people on horses. They were about to make formal introductions and arrangements for trade when they were swarmed by a huge herd of walkers. They had to scatter and then they lost each other. He had went back to the same place several times hoping to meet them again but he didn't. He believes based on how they were dressed that these people have a camp….a community and that they are friendly. They can be allies to us."

Everyone nodded with this information.

"So what's the plan?"

"Well...I was thinking and I hope you guys agree is that we search out these people that Jesus met, keep an eye on our friends at the Hilltop and at the same time learn more about Negan and his people."

The groups interest was peaked.

"Ok. I sent Jesus and Aaron out with enough supplies for one week to seek out these people that Jesus met before. I don't think that Negan and his people knows about our safe houses but just in case they don't they can use one of these houses to recharged, get more supplies from there and keep going out to find these potential allies."

"How will they know if the safe houses are actually safe?"

"Well, since we have to go out and get supplies to give to Negan we could check the houses and leave a signal telling them that it's safe to use. I told Aaron that I will tie a red cloth which will signal it is unsafe to use and a green cloth meaning it is safe to use."

"What about Negan's men? They will insist on coming with us on these runs.'

"Well they can't be on every run with every group...can they? The groups that are free from their presence will check the houses and mark them accordingly."

She paused so that the others could absorb what she was telling them.

"Remember Keith? He was one of the people Jesus brought with him from the Hilltop to help on the raids on Negan's camps. Well I sent him and Lizzy to stakeout the Hilltop, to keep an eye them and to render assistance if it is absolutely necessary. I gave them supplies also."

Michonne was please that everyone seem to be in support of her plans. She continued.

"Finally, I sent Damien, Ramona and Russell to follow Negan back to their camp as discreetly as possible as soon as they left here yesterday. That one's alittle bit tricky but it must be done. I told them that if they can't follow safely come back home. We will find another way to locate Negan's camp."

Michonne turned and faced the gathering.

"I'm sorry I didn't discuss this with any of you before I made these decisions but at the time everyone was already dealing with alot and an opportunity presented itself. Glen and Daryl was being held hostage, Abe and Rick was dealing with the negotiating for their release, Carol was watching the kids and Maggie and Rosita was worrying about the safe return of their husbands. So when Jesus came through the south gate and told me what he was up to I thought that it might be possible to do the same without Negan or the people he left here knowing about it. I knew Rick would have assigned people to watch Negan's people constantly once they entered Alexandria. The best thing we could do right now is to have eyes everywhere...on our ally the Hilltop who may need our help, finding new allies and on our enemies. So in that way we will not be caught off guard again. We will have to keep the south gate under heavy watch for when our people come back and also to keep Negan's people away from there. Let Negan think that he has dominion over us..power over us. I had to do something because we can't live like this...I can't live like this."

Everyone was quiet. She didn't know what they were thinking. She turned to her husband...worried that she may have overstepped her bounds or made a mistake in her plan.

"Rick?!"

Suddenly, Maggie and Rosita hugged her.

"Thank you!" They sobbed.

She hugged them back. Then Carol hugged her. When they moved away, all the men….Abe, Daryl and Glen hugged her. She started to gasped for breath.

"Guys..I can't breathe!"

They all began laughing as they released her. She looked at her husband who was staring at her.

"Rick?"

Rick walked up to her and cupping her face in his hands, he whispered to her.

"I don't deserve you!"

He kissed her and she began crying.***********************


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42: "Adjustments"**

Renée was in the medical room checking on the stitches on Dwight's face.

"I never got to tell you how sorry I am that Misty died. Her death was unnecessary."

Dwight looked up at her.

"And I don't agree with what he did to you...to your face."

"It's fine. I deserve it. Because of what I did...Misty died. Her death was my fault."

"You really believe that?"

"Yeah. I should have just waited like Negan wanted me to do."

Renee didn't know what to say to him. She knew in her heart that partly, he was right. She also know that regardless of what Dwight did...Misty didn't deserve to die, but neither did the people at the community that he attacked. She finished the last spot check on the wound and put on an ointment to prevent infection from setting in.

"All done."

Dwight got up. Suddenly he grabbed hold on Renée's wrist, frightening her.

"You're too good for him. He doesn't deserve you."

He then quickly left.*********************

 _ **Three days later…..**_

It has been three days since Alexandria has been under Negan's control and the residents still have not gotten use to the new régime that they are now forced to live under. They are finding it difficult at being watched, scrutinized in their own home.

They go about their daily chores cautiously, afraid to do or even say something that will give Negan further hold over them. David, Mickey, Ottley and Titus are enjoying the position they have over the residents of Alexandria. As per Negan's instructions, they are not to get involve in the day to day running of Alexandria.

Rick is still in charge...officially. Rick's sole purpose is to make sure that the people comply and that there is no uprising. Their presence is to show Rick and company that they are being watched and to remind them that Alexandria is no longer theirs.************************

Keith and Lizzie have been watching the Hilltop since they left their home three days ago. Other than the saviours patrolling close to the walls of the community, there was nothing to indicate any immediate danger.

In the day, they both watch the community but at night they sleep in their vehicle with one person asleep and one awake. The first night was difficult for Lizzie as this is the first time since calling Alexandria her home, that she has been outside, especially at night.

They had managed to hide their vehicle at a safe distance back and taking some food with them, made the ten minutes trek to the Hilltop on foot. However, when Keith saw Gregory he cursed under his breath.

"What's this asshole doing back here?! I thought we got rid of him for good."

"Who?"

Keith pointed to the man standing by himself at one of the guard points in the Hilltop.

"Him. A snake."

From the tone of his voice Lizzie knew he was pissed off.

"What did he do?"

"He thinks he's God's gift to women and doesn't take no for an answer."

"Wait...he raped someone?"

"Almost. If Jesus hadn't seen what was going on and stopped him he would have. But of course to him..it's not rape. He said ' _women can't say no.'"_

Lizzie saw Keith balled his hand into a fist, his knuckles had turned white...drained of its colour.

"Jesus should have killed him when he saw what he was doing..trying to do! The world is hard enough as it is for people like him to be breathing and taking up valuable oxygen!"

Lizzie saw the rage building in Keith and put her hand on his to try to calm him. Without warning, he pulled out his gun and pointed it in Gregory's direction. He has a direct line of sight to an unsuspecting Gregory. Lizzie was stunned.

"What the hell?!"

She tried to take the gun from his hand but he forcefully shook her off.

"It would be so easy from here. Just one bullet is all it takes."

Keith smiled at the prospect.

"Easy?! That one bullet will give away our position and send the saviours straight our way..and then what? We run like hell back home and risk them seeing us and knowing what we did or was trying to do?!"

She again tried to take the gun away from him. He didn't resist her..instead, he lowered his weapon. He turned and looked at her.

"Michonne is counting on us. Everyone back home is counting on us. _Please...don't f*ck this up!"*****************_

"I think we should head back to one of the safe houses to rest up abit. We've been out here for three days….no sign of the people you saw."

Jesus was searching through one of the cars on the road. He found a knapsack filled with panadol and other painkillers. Aaron stood there keeping a lookout as Jesus now searched the trunk of the car.

"Did you hear me?!"

"Yeah." He found nothing in the trunk. He then took a stick and dipped it in the blood of a dying walked next to them and wrote a message on the window of the car which read _"We are friendly people...want to meet to trade."_

However, as fast as he wrote the note, he erased it. He couldn't take the chance that the wrong people sees it...the wrong people like the saviours.

"Let's go."***********************

Damien, Ramona and Russell followed the saviours back to their home the Sanctuary and they were in shock and awe. The factory and it's compound was huge and well fortified as far as they can tell.

There were several rows of walkers chained along side of the walls of the building. There were also abandon cars parked in a single file line infront of the chained walkers around the building as far as they can see.

The entrance to the Sanctuary was a narrow, single drive way with three gates. Each gate had two heavily armed guards. The guard post located at the top of the third gate leading to the compound itself was manned by four armed men.

They watched as Negan and his people drove through each checkpoint. The three days they spent watching the saviours they witnessed a flurry of activities. They saw regular patrols and supply runs.

One the second day they even saw people visiting the Sanctuary and Russell made a guess that these are some of Negan's people from the other camp. He tried to convinced the others that they should follow the other group of saviours to find out where their camp is.

"Why not?!" Russell argued. "It's a good idea. Knowing where both camps are is the ultimate leverage we need!"

"Hey..I agree with you but Negan is the target and we know where he is. If and when we do decide to attack we need to take out Negan _first._ Cut off the snake's head and the body will die."

"I'm sorry Russell but I have to agree with Ramona. Attacking the other camps didn't work out too well for us..we need to give this new strategy a chance and so far, it seems to be working out."

Russell was out voted 2 to 1 and he was pissed.

"I still think we should go just for the record."

"Duly noted."************************

Carl, Michael, Liam, Jamie and Teddy shadowed David, Mickey, Ottley and Titus since they stepped foot in Alexandria. Carl and his crew was the first persons they saw every morning and the last people they saw at night. Carl and Michael always take first watch while Liam and Jamie take second watch. Teddy alternate between the first and second team as a floater, an extra pair of eyes for each team. It was on the third day that anyone spoke to each other as they walked around the community.

"You're Rick and Michonne's kid right?"

Carl didn't acknowledge the man's presence as the nine men walked around the community.

"What? The cold shoulder treatment? How mature of you."

Carl could tell from the man's tone of voice that he was baiting him. He decided to put an end to his bullshit.

"Let's get something straight. We are not friends. You don't need to talk to me and I don't need to talk to you. You are just guest here."

"Guest?!"

"Yeah! And an inconvenient one at that so the less said to each other is the better it will be."

"Yes sir!" David said mockingly.***********************

Rosita was checking on Daryl's back and cursing in Spanish. He was holding their son.

"What's wrong with you?"

"It's these scars. I hate them!"

She became quiet and suddenly bursted into tears.

"They will remind me of how scared I was...how I thought I was going to lose you!" She cried into his back.

Daryl felt a sting in his heart when he felt her tears streaming down his back.

"Come here." He whispered hoarsely.

Rosita walked around the table and faced him. He wiped away her tears.

"If something ever happens to…"

"Dont say that!"

Her outburst startled Caleb who immediately started crying. She took the distressed baby from his father, held him against her chest and rocked him gently, apologizing to him.

"Lo siento...lo siento!" She whispered in her baby's ears to calm him down.

Daryl watched intently as his wife walked around the room in steady slow paces comforting their son. He knows her fear..he felt it for the three days he was held captive. He thought he was never going to see his family again. And when he did, his fear multiplied when he thought that his wife was going to witness him being beaten to death. That's why he shouted for her to stay back after Negan delivered the first blow. He didn't want her to feel his fear or even risk her being injured during his beating. Her back was turned to him when he walked up and held her at the waist . He was whispering in her ears now.

"Promise me that if something ever happens to me…"

"Daryl..please…"

She tried to turned around to face him but he slipped his hands across her belly and held her back firmly against his chest.

"No..listen to me. You promise me that _if_ something ever happens to me and I don't come back home to you..you will live on. You must..for our son. He will need you more than ever. Say it!"

"I promise." Rosita whispered through tears.

"You will have a strong support system in the ladies...Michonne, Maggie, Sasha, Carol and the others. I want you to lean on them..let them help you because you will need it. You can't do it on your own. I know you Ro...you will try to do it on your own. Don't isolate yourself..please. Caleb needs his aunties and his cousins."

He paused to prevent himself from thinking that such a thing would ever happen but could be a possibility.

"Caleb needs Rick and Abe and Glen and Carl in his life too...to watch over him and to guide him. I know they will protect you when I am gone."

"Ok."

Daryl looked over Rosita's shoulders at their son in her arms. He was fast asleep. It was Rosita's turn to speak.

"Promise me that you will do everything in your power to never leave us. I need my husband and Caleb needs his father. You promise me that."

Daryl kissed Rosita's neck.

"I promise."**********************

Rick has been in a foul mood. He watched angrily, fist clenched as David and the others walk around Alexandria. Although they were being followed by Carl and the others, it doesn't make him feel any better. As they passed his house, David mockingly waved at him. Rick's hand instinctively reached for his gun at his waist..a thought slowly forming in his head.***********************

From the kitchen window Michonne saw Negan's men, followed by their men walking through the community. They were fast approaching their house and she knew Rick was on the front porch. She quickly dried her hands.

Michonne was quietly standing behind Rick and saw when David waved at Rick. She felt the rage instantly rise up in her and she saw that it did too in Rick. When he caressed his gun, she placed one of her hands across his chest from behind and the other hand over his hand on the gun and gently caressed it.

"Let's go upstairs. Judith, Avery and Dominic wants to see their daddy."

She pulled him back into the safety of their house.*****************************

Trent approached Negan in the gun supply room. Negan turned and faced the young man dating his daughter. He could see that something was on his mind.

"Jasmine's going to be 19yrs in a couple of days. I was wondering if you have any tips on what to get her for her birthday."

Negan was genuinely surprised that Trent came to him.

"Why come to me? Why not her mother?"

"Well, you're her father so it's only appropriate that I come to you. I want it to be special."

Negan smiled at the young man trying to impress Jasmine. It reminded him of all the things that he had done to get Renee to love him. It wasn't easy for them as they each came into the relationship with their own emotional baggage and had to adjust and compromise their point of view on certain issues. He accepted her as his moral compass and she accepted him for his violent nature. They had struck a balance in their relationship which had developed over a period of time. However with Trent and Jasmine...this was young love. No baggage..no issues. Different sides of the same coin.

"I would suggest a nice dinner. Not the canned stuff. I'm talking about actual real food that needs to be cooked. Don't worry. Renee and I will organise everything. You just worry about getting her a gift and not letting her find out about what we're doing."

The young man nodded and left.************************

Later that night Michonne and Rick had just put Judith, Avery and Dominic to sleep when Carl entered their room.

"Can we talk?"

They gestured to the sitting area in the corner of the bedroom.

"I'll want to propose to Enid."

Rick and Michonne said nothing. This wasn't the reaction he was hoping for.

"Did you hear what I said? I want to propose to Enid. I love her."

Rick eyed his son suspiciously.

"Is she pregnant?!" Rick asked.

"Rick!" Michonne said..shoving him. Then she turned to Carl.

"She isn't right?" Michonne had a hopeful look on her face.

Carl stared at his parents. He cleared his throat.

"Firstly...no she isn't pregnant... _._ Secondly, we haven't had sex yet and thirdly, mom already had the 'birds and the bees' talk with me. Besides Enid wants to wait until she is married to have sex and with what's been going lately..sex is the last thing on our mind."

Carl was pointedly looking at his father who then turned to look at Michonne.

"You talked to him about sex?"

"Are you being serious right now. Carl will be eighteen in ten months. Yes...I talked to him about sex. He and Enid have been dating for awhile now. I wanted them to be safe just in case."

Rick rubbed his temples for a couple seconds. He looked up at Carl.

"When? When do you plan to propose?"

"Well, Enid's 18th birthday is only 6mths after I turn 18 so I want to propose to her on that day." He paused. "She's my soulmate...like you and mom. We have what you guys have. I want to make it official."

Michonne hugged Carl.

"If you are sure this is what you want you have my blessing."

Carl looked at his father.

"Dad?"

Rick looked up at them. He had tears in his eyes. Carl looked at Michonne worried.

"You have his blessing too. He's just overwhelmed that you're all grown up and wouldn't need him anymore."

Carl went over and hugged his father.

"I will always need you dad. Who will take care of my kids?"

"Carl!"***********************


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43: "Future Prospects"**

The fourth morning brought a reprieve for Rick's trouble thoughts. It was raining...heavily. Although he didn't particularly like the rain, he welcomed it. In fact, he hoped it rained for a couple days well, so that Negan's dreaded visit will be postponed.

It also meant that David and the other Negan lackeys will be stuck in their house for the whole time. Rick wouldn't have to see their faces and be constantly reminded of Alexandria's predicament. He checked the time...it was 2am. As Rick walked down the stairs to the kitchen, he mulled over Carl's announcement last night.

Carl will no longer just be his son, but he will be his son who grew up and will be a husband and in the near future a father just like him. ' _Where did the time went?'_ Rick wondered to himself as he poured a glass of water. He took a sip.

He was glad that Michonne was on point in keeping abreast of Carl's life. He was so busy keeping them alive on the road and then keeping Alexandria safe for all his people that his son became a man right under his very nose and he missed it.

He knew that he was dating Enid and that it was a steady relationship. Michonne told him about the kiss Carl planted on Enid right before they went to the infirmary to help Tara save Denise's life.

Michonne was taken aback by Carl's strong and very public display of affection to Enid as she knows that they don't necessary flaunt their relationship in the open. Now he understands why Michonne wasn't surprised by Carl's words.

For him it was shock which is why he was silent but for her, she had suspected that this might have been the next step in their relationship. When Carl left their room last night Michonne theorized that she believed that it was the last attack by the saviours that put things in perspective for Carl.

Michonne believes that Enid is the right woman for Carl. She is independent and nurturing at the same time and most of all….she is Carl's equal. She doesn't need to be rescued and she does what needs to be done to protect her family.

Michonne once told him that when Enid shot Ava, who had a gun to Maggie's head, Carl said he saw Michonne in her. That should have been his first clue about where this relationship was heading.

When Carl made the announcement his initial reaction was that he was way too young but he remembered that he was only 20yrs when he married Lori and 21yrs when Carl was born. Although that is two years older than Carl is right now, Carl is way more mature than he was at 20.

Like Michonne said, Carl has his total blessing. He wishes him all the best in the world and hope that he and Enid have the same good fortune in being happily married as he is with Michonne.

Rick's mind now wondered to his next eldest child, Judith. She's almost five now. He tried to picture Judith and her boyfriend standing infront of him making the same announcement in the next 15yrs.

He imagined himself not liking the boy she had chosen and her screaming at him that she loves the boy. She would then go crying to her mother telling her to make him understand. He could see Michonne arguing with him in the kitchen as they make dinner.

' _You sound just like Abe! No boy is ever good enough for Robyn. The boys in Alexandria are practically afraid to talk to her. They don't even look at her because of who her father is. The poor girl cries to Judith about it and Sasha complains to me!'_

' _Robyn is his only daughter.'_

' _Bullshit! Robyn's younger brothers can talk to any amount of girls they want but Robyn gets the shaft?!'_

 _Rick said nothing._

' _You know if it was Caleb you wouldn't be like this!'_

' _That's because I know Caleb. He's Daryl and Rosita's son. He's a good boy."_

' _Yes..he is but Judith doesn't like him! She loves Austin. You would know he's a good kid if you even bothered to get to know him. I have. He's nice, treats Judith like a queen and I like him. Instead you spend your time trying to intimidate him.'_

She would then laugh at him.

' _Can't you see it's not working. You know why? Because he's stubborn...and pig-headed. Just like you! And you wonder why our daughter is in love with him.'_

He imagined he and Michonne going at it for a couple of days until he reluctantly agrees to give his blessing. Judith will scream with delight as she hugs them then runs to tell Austin the good news. Michonne will shower him with kisses with a big grin her face. She had won..again.

The battle of wills...she's the master of it. His mind then thought to the youngest of his brood. Avery and Dominic are only weeks old. He shuddered at the thought. He walked back upstairs to see Michonne coming down the corridor. She stopped when she saw him.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah. Just needed to clear my head."

Michonne closed the gap between them.

"We will get through this."

Rick nodded at her. They stood there in the corridor, the faint light of the street light coming through. They were looking at each other, smiles on their faces. Suddenly, Michonne took his hand and pressed it against her crotch. Her panties were wet. Rick blushed with excitement.

"Wow...Mrs Grimes!"

Michonne grinned at him.

"Mr Grimes...I need to feel you inside me. _Now!"_

Carl stayed over at Enid's for the night and the kids were fast asleep..so privacy wasn't an issue. Rick pushed Michonne up against the wall in the corridor..his mouth hungrily latched on to hers..his tongue exploring the corners of her mouth.

They haven't been together since the twins was born and like Carl rightfully said..with all the shit that's been going down...intimacy have suffered. But tonight, the weather's right and the night is quiet. With their lips still attached, they both shed their clothes in quick succession.

Rick lifted Michonne up and she expertly wrapped her legs around his waist. Rick nervously entered Michonne. He pulled away his lips to gasped into the night. Michonne nibbled on his neck. He started to pump her slowly at first and then he hit a steady rhythm.

His lips found hers again and they groaned into each other. Michonne put one hand around Rick's waist and pulled him deeper into her. As he went in deeper it was so warm and moist that his legs buckled under him. _It felt so good._

They giggled as they crashed to the ground with Michonne on top of him. Placing her hands firmly on his chest, Michonne flexed down on his cock..one deep long stroke...hard.

"F*ck!" Rick muttered as he grabbed her hips and held it there.

" _Hmmmmmmmmm."_ Michonne groaned as her body trembled on top of him.

Rick peered up at her and saw her huge breast dangling above him as her body shook. That was the end of his will power. He pushed his hips up and exploded inside her. He pulled her down and as their upper bodies touch, an orgasm was ripped from their bodies simultaneously. Their lips locked again and they suckled at each other.***************************

Negan loves when the weather is like this...wet and cold and Renée becomes insatiable. Negan knows her body well and what this type of weather does to her. He takes full advantage of the opportunity and she hates him for it.

He looks up and enjoys what he sees. Renee is furiously riding him. Her full breast bouncing beautifully over him. He grabs them and gave the nipples a gently squeeze. She sharply suck air into her lungs and curses him.

"God damn! F*ckkkkk!"

With three more deep slow strokes, he felt her walls constricted around him. He quickly rolled over and pushed slow, hard and deep inside her. She opened her legs wide to accommodate his pleasurable efforts. He pulled out halfway and pushed back deep into her.

"Do that again!" She screamed.

He thrust into her three times quickly, pulled out halfway and pushed deep into her again as she commanded.

"Again." She cried and he did.

After the fourth time, Negan was almost at his wits end. He was barely holding on. When he pulled out and pushed back into her the fifth time, Renée dug her nails into his arm and her walls held him in a vice grip...pulsing at the same time. It was the strongest hold he has ever felt in his life. This was so new to him and he liked it. She squealed out.

"Oh baby!"

Her voice, those words..was his undoing. His lips locked onto hers in an aggressive, passionate kiss. As she contracts under him he spills in her. He groaned as she wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him down into her. She had her hands around his neck and opened her mouth wide for his assaults.

Their bodies melted into one another. He spills into her a second time as he sank into her. After five minutes their laboured breathing had slowed down significantly. He was still lying on top in her...he was still inside of her. They were looking into each other's eyes. She pulled him down into a kiss.

"I hate you for doing this to me." she was smiling up at him. He kissed her. Renee got serious.

"You really are serious about us having a baby...aren't you?"

He looked straight into her eyes and answered with conviction.

"Yes."

Renée searched his eyes..but she didn't know what she was looking for.

"It's not going to be easy."

Her eyes was beginning to flood with tears.

"You can't run out on me when things get tough. I'm not going through that again! A child needs two parents and I am not going to be a single mother again! I refuse to! So if you know you can't handle it just..."

Renee's voice cracked as she couldn't finish the sentence. All the pain and hurt came bubbling up to the surface like a tidal wave. She turned her eyes away from Negan's intense gaze. Her lips were quivering, her breathing quicken. He forcefully turned her face to look at him.

"Hear me. I want a baby! I want a baby with _you!_ I am not going anywhere. _We_ are going to raise this baby _together!_ I am in this for the long haul..with you."

Negan gently away wiped the tears and kissed her again. Renee had never considered having another baby. Now here, infront of her is a man who wants to have a baby with her...wants a family. Although they had discussed it before, a small selfish part of her hoped that she didn't get pregnant. She just wanted to enjoy what they had right now. Truth be told, she was afraid. Afraid that she would be abandoned again. Afraid that she will fall for a man who didn't love her. Afraid that she will be a single mother again, raising a baby in a very cruel world. She genuinely believes in her heart that Negan will never abandoned his own flesh and blood and that child will be protected at all cost but a small part of her still has doubts. These doubts will always be there, be apart of her because of what she experienced, what she went through. She just can't help it. She can't deny that Negan has done everything in his power to make her happy and keep her safe. He loves her and Jasmine...of that she is sure and now definitively, she knows she loves him too. Things are good...real good right now.

"Renee?"

The sound of her name jolted her from her thoughts.

"I don't want to you to think that I am forcing you to get pregnant. I just wanted you to know that I am serious and I am committed to you…to _us._ "

"Ok. I just need sometime to think."

"Take all the time you need. This is your decision."


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44: "Time"**

The rain have been pouring down for the past three days. Rick is not complaining though. For every day the rain is relentless Negan's visit is pushed back and Alexandria gets to keep what is theirs a little bit longer.

The residents have been in their homes with a few persons here and there scurrying back and forth at the pantry for supplies for their family. It was late evening and Rick and Michonne cuddled on the floor in a thick blanket, in the corridor near the door leading out to the second floor balcony.

The children was down for the evening. With baby monitor within reach they watched the rain poured down. Rick hates the rain but Michonne could sit and watch the water droplets hit on the ground, on the trees, on people all day long. Most of all, she loves to hear the rain drops tap dancing on the roof.

' _It's magical.' She had explained to him. 'The rain on the rooftop is the best musical orchestra nature have to offer.'_

Michonne pulled her husband's arms tighter around her. She loved the warmth of his body against her. Although this moment of temporary freedom is blissful, she knows that Alexandria's predicament is not to far from Rick's thoughts. Neither from hers.

"We need to get to Eugene and the others to check up on them. I'm sure they heard the second attack, so most likely they have gone on walkie talkie silence. Besides, we need to know if they still have supplies or if they need any."

Rick said nothing to her statement.

"Rick?"

Michonne turned up her head to look at him. He turned to look at her the same time and their eyes met. He nodded, an acknowledgement that he had heard her. She turned back around.

"The rain would have the perfect cover for a small group us to sneak up to the factory and check on things and get back without Negan's people knowing."

"Yeah, but you heard what the others said. Out there is brutal right now. It's too risky."

"Yeah.."

 _ **Two days ago**_ **…..**

Damien, Ramona and Russell sat in the car. They have been stuck there for the past two days due to the heavy rainfall. Russell broke the silence.

"Well this sucks!"

He stretched out in the back seat, bored.

"I wonder what Negan and his people are doing now?"

Ramona and Damien turned and looked at him.

"I doubt anything much." Ramona pointed outside. "What can you do with all this rain? It's not like you could go outside or anything."

Damien took out the last sandwich.

"Any takers?"

Both Ramona and Russell shook their heads.

"It's the last one. We need to head back home to report and get more supplies."

Russell sat up from his seat.

"What about Negan? He's suppose to go Alexandria today to take half of everything we have."

"Does it look like Negan is going anywhere? It has been raining since yesterday. No one has gone out or come in into the compound. It's even worst today than yesterday. He isn't going anywhere."

She noticed the look on Damien's face.

"What?"

"I don't agree with you. Negan just might go to Alexandria today. He could take a small amount of people, heavily armed of course but he's only coming for supplies. It's not like we are going to resist him."

Ramona shook her head in disagreement.

"There is no way Negan is leaving that nice, cosy Sanctuary of his just to pick up food from us. From what we've seen so far..we know he and his people are not starving."

"True." Russell agreed. "He could have a wife though. I wouldn't leave my wife alone in this kind of weather." He winked at Ramona.

"Don't know about a wife but do you think that young woman we saw is his daughter?"

"Maybe. They are close though. She's always surrounded and protected. She is definitely important to him."

"We could probably use it to our advantage."

"Maybe. That's if we could get to her. If she's as important as I suspect, she is never too far away from him so getting to her is damn near impossible."

"Nothing is impossible. It can be done."

Ramona looked ahead and saw some walkers drifting towards them. She pointed them out.

"That's our cue to leave. More will be coming and if that happens we wouldn't be effective fighting them off. Not in this mud."

Damien turned the key. The engine started then died. He swallowed hard and turned the key again. The engine only sputtered.

"No way this is happening!"

Just then, a walker crashed against Ramona's side of the car window.

"Jesus Christ!"

The walkers herd ahead of them was getting closer.

"We need to do this quickly before that herd reaches us! Ramona...take care of that walker and watch our backs while we check out the engine!"

On the count of three Ramona open her car door pushing the walker to the ground while Damien and Russell rushed to the bonnet of the car.

They glanced at Ramona as she effortlessly dispatched the walker with her knife and began surveying the scene, keeping her eyes on the herd as they opened the bonnet. They were only there for 30 seconds when Ramona shouted out.

"Look out!"

They turned around to see two walkers reaching out for them from the left side of the car. They both slipped and fell in the mud as they tried to back away. The two walkers fell on top of them.

Ramona managed to shoot one in the head when she heard a groan behind her. She turned to see a walker was right up on her. She pulled the trigger. She did a quick visual sweep of the area.

The gunshots had attracted even more walkers. She looked at Damien and Russell who was already on their feet and backing towards her. The herd was swarming from all directions now.

"Leave everything! We have to go! Now!"

With that they turned from the car and their belongings and fled into the forest, clearing walkers from their path as they go.********************

Jesus and Aaron looked out the window of one of Alexandria's safe houses that they were in. The rain was unrelenting as it pounded the earth.

"So glad we didn't get caught out there in this!"************************

Lizzie looked at Keith as he slept. There isn't anything else to do besides sit in the car and sleep because of all this rain. She listened at the sound of raindrops on the roof of the car.

This kind of weather always reminds her of how lonely she is. She lost her mother, father and younger sister to walkers when this whole end of world shit started to happen. She fled to her husband's office only to find him there f*cking his secretary on the desk. She suspected he was cheating but to actual confirm it at a time like that was even more disheartening.

When they saw her staring at them, they froze in their motion. The woman's skirt was up around her waist and her husband's pants down around his ankles. She swallowed hard trying to registered what she had seen. The woman jumped off her husband's desk and pulled down her skirt. She followed her husband's eyes as they followed the woman who fled the office.

Then their eyes locked for a minute or two as her husband walked up to her. They stood there, in each other's personal space. When he reached out to touch her face, she flinched. Then abruptly, she turned around on her heels and walked straight out the office and out of her husband's life. She watched Keith's chest as it rise and fall to the smooth rhythm of his breathing.

Her eyes traced along the length of his body down to his crotch. There was a bulge in his jeans...a sizeable bulge. She swallowed hard. Then he coughed. She looked up and saw Keith looking at her…a small smile on his face. She turned away embarassed, looking out her window. Minutes of silence passed between them.

"I think it's time we head back home to report what we've seen and get more supplies. As it is, we can't do anything here. We can't monitor anyone."

"Ok." Keith replied and turned the key for the ignition.**************************

Gregory lay on his bed, his hand down his pants. The weather was cold and he was in his room all by his lonesome. As his hands worked its magic, he closed his eyes and imagine being on top of Renee...what it would be like to be inside of her again.

An obsession has taken hold of him since he saw her. He wondered what she was doing every minute of the day, what she was thinking about at her every waking moment. After all these years of being in different relationships with different women, it bothered him that someone else has been inside of her.

Something about Renee have always stayed with him. Probably it was because he was her first and she got pregnant for him...she carried his child in her. No other woman have ever gotten pregnant for him that he knows of. When her friend told him that their baby had died, both a sense of relief and guilt did come over him.

Now Negan get to be the one to experience her softness, her sweetness... gets to f*ck her. He is probably f*cking her right now. His hand flogged mercilessly at it's target to achieve the pleasurable goal. He closed his eyes, his lips parted. He thought about the endless possibilities if he got Renee alone with him just one more time.

He learned a few things over the years about women and their anatomy. A woman's body was made to take pain..all kinds of sexual pain. The things he would do to her in a locked room, just the two of them. He needed one chance...just one. He moaned at the mental picture in his head and minutes later, he felt sweet, sweet release. He gasped loudly, knowing that the rain on the rooftop will drown him out. Sitting up, he looked down at the mess in his pants.

"What a waste." He muttered. "What a goddamn waste!"********************

Renee stood at the entrance of the pantry looking at Jasmine and Trent interacting. They were sitting on the sofa across the hall from her with their friends. Jasmine's legs was across Trent's lap and he was whispering something in her ear. She laughed loudly. Few minutes later they kissed and looked lovingly into each other's eyes. Her daughter was happy and in love. She felt proud of her accomplishments..that she achieved her goal. She raised a well balanced young woman. Her job is done. She turned and went inside the pantry. She closed the door.**********************

Negan pressed his ear against the pantry door and heard the faint sound of crying. He knocked on the door.*********************

Renee heard the knock. She quickly dabbed her eyes dry.

"Come in." She answered.

The door opened and closed.

"Take what you need. I'll be right there."

She turned around and saw Negan just standing there looking at her with sorrowful eyes. She slowly drifted back into the counter behind her, the tears threatening to spill from her eyes again. She shut them tightly, fighting them back. Seconds later strong hands engulfed her and pulled her close. She put her arms around his waist and cried.***********************

 _ **Later that night…..**_

Despite how tired they were Damien, Ramona and Russell kept on running. Tree branches whipped at their sore eyes but they didn't have a choice. It was getting dark and they had no food, no water and most importantly...no shelter. The rain showed them no mercy and walkers were closing in everywhere..like at a buffet table. They were about to run out into the road but it was Ramona who saw a car light in the distance first.

"Look!"

They came to a sliding halt and squinted into the distance.

"Saviours?!" They looked at each other.

"It doesn't matter. We need their vehicle and we're going to take it."

"F*ck!" Russell shouted as he pulled the trigger and shot a walker behind Damien.

They turned their heads towards the direction of the incoming car.

"Think they heard that?"

"Let's hope not."

They crouched down behind some bushes near the road, guns in hand...waiting.********************

"You hear that?!

The car came to a slow halt. The occupants looked through their windows of the car.

"Yeah...be ready for anything."

Fingers clenched firmly on their gun triggers.***********************

It seemed like forever for the car to reach them. Ramona peeped over her patch of shrubbery.

"Where are they?" Damien asked.

"Shit! They have stopped!" Ramona whispered.

"Damn it! They heard the gunshot!" Russell cursed under his breath. "What do we do?!"

Damien mind was racing. Russell was about to make a mad dash for the car when Ramona pushed him back down.

"Wait!"**************************

The driver of the vehicle slowly released his foot off the brake and the car slowly rolled forward.

"How far up do you think they are?"

"I don't know."

"How many do you think are there?"

"I don't know."

"F*ck."

"Just keep your eyes open."***************************

"They are driving again...but slowly." Ramona reported.

"They know we are out here. They are trying to locate our position."

Damien looked at Russell who was fidgeting.

"Keep still you f*ck! It's dark and they can't see us. Just get ready."************************

It took about five minutes for the car to reach their desired spot. Damien, Ramona and Russell rushed out.********************

It was man who saw the three figures rushing out from the corner of his eyes on left hand side. He immediately cut the headlight of the car and the road was engulfed in darkness. **************************

The only sound that could be heard was the running engine of the car in the deafening silence.

"We don't want no trouble! We need to get home." Damien called out into the darkness.

There was no response.

"Hand over the keys and no one has to get hurt!

Silence.

Damien whispered to Ramona.

"Whatever happens, try not to shoot the car."

The driver didn't hear when the footsteps approached the car but froze when he heard three taps on the driver's side window.

"Keys now….asshole!"

The driver recognized the voice.

"Russell?!"

He turned on the car headlights and saw Damien and Ramona infront of them pointing guns at the car. Russell drop his gun in shock.

"Keith! What the f*ck?! I could have killed you! Jesus Christ!

Ramona and Damien lowered their guns as Lizzie got out of the car in the rain. She looked at them and noticed that they were soaking wet and on foot.

"What happened to you guys?!"

"Short story...rain and walkers."

"Can we go home now?!" Russell asked exasperated looking at Lizzie, Damien and Ramona. They all filed into the car and started their journey home.********************


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45: "Knock Knock"**

Today…...is the day. After almost six days of heavy rainfall, the heavens has finally decided that enough is enough. Rick, Abe, Glen and Daryl looked on as the supplies that are to be given to Negan are packed. There were tins of sardines and tuna, bales of rice, beans and wheat.

Most of the fresh produce that was given to them by the Hilltop was already eaten. Maggie and Enid had started a vegetable garden between her and Rick's house as it was more conducive to delicate vegetable like tomatoes. Dozens of bottle water was also being brought out.

Abe was particular pissed at seeing this given the fact that he and Daryl almost lost their lives trying to retrieve the cases from a warehouse a few miles out where they were scouting. Walker traps were laid which they unfortunately fell into and they had barely escapes with their lives.

They had come to know later that it was the group who called themselves the Wolves who were responsible. It was the same group who had attacked Alexandria weeks later which caused the huge walker swarm to enter their community.

Rick jaw clenched when he saw packs of toothpaste also being carried out to be packed with the other stuff. During the rain for the past couple days, Rick and Abe were darting back and forth hiding their weapons and ammo.

They left only a couple of guns and assorted ammo for each household as just for show should Negan want to see their armoury. Since they appears to not know about the factory, them having large quantities of ammunition was damn near unexplainable and would draw questions that they wouldn't want to answer.

At the crack of dawn Carl and his group was at Negan's people door. While they kept them occupied, Michonne and Sasha dispatched a small unit through the south gate to take possible needed supplies to Eugene and company should they need it.

The community was on edge. There was a slow burn of despair in the air. The ladies of the council walked from door to door of each resident's home to assure them that everything will be alright and that this ' _arrangement'_ will not last forever.

When Negan showed up with a bound and gagged Daryl and Glen some people lost hope. They saw it as a definite sign that there are worse things out there than walkers...and that's people. First it was the Wolves, now the Saviours. ' _Who's next?'_ they wondered.

Some of the residents also expressed concern about another attack on their home and wondered if they will survive it. They are willing to fight for their home..that much is clear but few theorized whether if it was more practical to just uproot themselves and create a new home else.

' _This is our home!' Rick assured them. 'And we will not give it up! This…..' He pointed to the supplies for Negan 'is only temporary. I promise you.'_

Rick's words held so much conviction and promise that some the thoughts about giving up and moving was somewhat dispelled with. Suddenly, Ned shouted.

"They're here!"

Michonne handed Rick his favourite brown coat. He looked at her intently as he slowly slipped it on over his white t-shirt.***********************

Renee watched with pride as Jasmine expertly loaded her gun at a nearby table across from her. Trent and Sarah was also there doing the same. Today is the day for the trip to Alexandria.

Jasmine no longer needs her permission to go out on runs but they have made a pact that they will always discuss these decisions..especially important ones like going to Alexandria. Jasmine walked over to her mother and hugged her.

"I will be fine."

"I know."

Renee glanced over at Negan who was giving orders to one of the men. Involuntarily, a smile appeared on her lips. Realizing this, she turned to see Jasmine looking at her happy.

"I'm so glad for you mom! You are finally happy!"

"Hey! I was always happy. I had you."

"You were happy for _me._ You don't have to worry about me anymore. Now you can be happy for _you._ Now you could have a life!"

Renee hugged Jasmine again.

"Oh baby! I will always worry about you and be happy for you. You are my only child."

"Well maybe you should have another one." Jasmine said jokingly.

Renee pulled away from her.

"What?! Did Negan say something?"

"No mom! I was just kidding. Relax."

Renee gave her a halfhearted smile. Trent called out to Jasmine. It was time to go.

"See you later." and she turned to leave.

Renee watched what was once her whole life walked out of the hall. Her baby was slowly leaving the protective nest. Instinctively, she placed her hand over the base of her stomach.

She then felt another hand over hers as a body presses up against her from behind. Leaning back, she removed her hand and placed it over his hand as he caressed her tummy. They stood there for a few moments before she turned to face him.

She caressed his cheek and smiled up at him. Then she nodded. Renee saw the light in his eyes brighten as he smiled. He kissed her softly on her lips….twice.

"Come back home."

"I will." He kissed her again and headed out.***************

Craig, Darcy and Lyndon was barely up the path when Eugene and Spencer rushed out to meet them.

"Who was it now?! Who attacked Alexandria?"************

After they were safely inside the factory Lyndon answered Spencer's question.

"The saviours."

"Again?! What do they want now?"

They turned around and saw Vicki.

"Why did they attack us again?!"

Dharia and Reed followed close behind her.

Lyndon gave them the short version of what happened. The deal that Negan tried to force on them which Rick refused, the midnight attack, the amount of people they lost and how many of Negan's people they killed. How Daryl and Glen was kidnapped by Negan and kept for three days.

How they were later used to force Rick to choose which one of them gets to come home to Alexandria and which one stays with the saviours as an insurance policy for Rick's compliance.

"He hit Daryl across his back with a barbed wire baseball bat. Rosita almost lost it. Maggie had to restrain her."

"They should have let Rosita clawed Negan's eyes out."

"The situation was way too intense for that. If a shootout was to happen again we would have sustained heavy losses."

"What did Rick do?"

"Well he told Rosita and Maggie that he wasn't going to choose between their husbands. Then he renegotiated with Negan."

Eugene, Spencer, Dharia and Reed was shocked.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Rick agrees to work for Negan if he allowed both Daryl and Glen come home."

"And he agreed? Just like that?" Spencer asked confused.

"Yes. I think it was what Rick said to him. He told Negan to look at the anguish he will cause keeping a husband away from his wife. He even suggested that he is sure Negan has someone back home where he came from who would miss him if he was taken. From Negan's reaction it appears that he does."

"So he has a wife then?" Dharia smiled. "That's good. We could use that."

"Hold on. We are not so sure about a wife but Ramona says it seems that he has a daughter. She could be about 18 of 19 and always guarded."

"Fathers tend to do that with their daughters."

"How do you all know this?"

"While Rick was negotiating with Negan, Michonne put together three teams. Ramona was part of one of the teams that followed Negan when he left Alexandria. A second team was sent to keep an eye on the Hilltop and Jesus and Aaron went to look for another group he had briefly met before he met Rick.

"What about the Hilltop? Can't they help us?" It was Reed who spoke now.

"While we were attacking their camps, they were taking over the Hilltop. Jesus saw them on guard duty outside the walls when he went back home. They didnt see him. He still doesn't know how it happened or of anyone was hurt or killed by these people. The good thing is that Negan doesnt seem to know that we we are even connected to the Hilltop. The bad thing is we have to start scouting for food now for ourselves and to give to Negan. He's demanding half of everything we have."

"Half?!" Eugene said in disbelief. Craig nodded.

"I think it's time we come home!" Reed announced loudly. "Rick needs us!"

Darcy shook her head.

"No. Michonne wants you all to stay here. We can't let Negan know all of our people. This factory is safe for now. You are safe and she wants to keep it this way. So we brought you supplies. The safe words still stand. You know what to do. Maintain radio silence until we contact you."

It was clear that Reed didn't agree but he didn't have a choice. He went outside and began bring the boxes in.*****************************

Rick, Abe, Daryl and Glen stood at the front line watching as four cars drove slowly up the Alexandria's gates. The boxed up supplies lined off infront of them. Ten of the other residents formed a defensive line behind Rick, fully armed.

Rick saw that Negan was in the front car when it came to stop. Negan and Rick stared at each other for a couple minutes. Negan got out of the car and walked up to the gate Lucille resting comfortable on his shoulder. Rick clenched his jaw as he gave the signal to open the gates.

With his path clear the men from the other vehicles came out of their vehicles, walked forward and began picking up the supplies and carrying them to their vehicles. Rick and Negan's eyes never left each other. A young woman walked up behind Negan which briefly broke his concentration on Rick. He looked at her then returned his gaze to Rick.

"Where are my men?"

Rick pointed to a house to the left of him.

"There."

"Good. I want to see them."

With that, Negan walked past Rick towards the house. Guns from both camps began to click. Everyone froze. A young man stood infront of the young woman. Negan turned and looked pointedly at Rick. Rick glanced at his people and guns were lowered. Negan grinned at him and continued on his way. The young woman followed closely and immediately behind her was the young man and two other men.************************

Michonne looked on intently from behind the cover of the curtain in her living room as the events unfolded at the gates. She saw when the young woman briefly broke Negan's attention on Rick and the protection she got when things began to get intense. She fingered her katana strapped to her back.

"Is that her?"

"Yes." Ramona stood next to Michonne.

"Ok."***********************

Negan instantly recognized who Carl was when he walked up to the house.

"Rick Jr."

Carl stared at Negan and said nothing, gun cocked in hand.

"You better put that down before you hurt yourself."

Carl grinned at him. It was then he noticed the young woman looking at him. The young man besides her was also looking at him. Negan looked at the other people who were guarding his men and laughed out loud. Then he turned his attention to his people.

"How's the hospitality?"

"Except for this little brat and his people following us around it's been good."

Carl knew that the comment was made to get a rise out of him. He ignored it..

"Good. As long as it stays that way, we wouldn't have a problem."

Negan turned around to leave. He turned to Carl who was still scowling at the Jasmine and Trent. He decided to make introductions.

"Rick Jr meet Jasmine, my daughter. Jasmine meet Rick Jr."

He didn't bother to introduce Trent for it was fairly obvious who he was. He gently touched Jasmine on her shoulder and she lightly spun on her heels and walked ahead. Negan, Trent and the other men followed behind. When Negan reached back to Rick he smiled at him.

"The first time's emotional. I get that but the next time I come here I want a proper tour of the place."

Before Rick could answer, he walked back to his vehicle. Rick barked at Ned.

"Close the gates!"

Ned quickly complied. Rick watched as the vehicle disappeared from his sight. He rubbed his temple methodically. ' _This cannot continue.'_ He reasoned. ' _I wouldn't let this continue!'_ He vowed.


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46: "Trouble"**

Jesus and Aaron looked around their surroundings. Nothing looked familiar or inviting.

"I have never been out this far before." Aaron looked at Jesus.

"Me neither."

"Are you even sure they came this way?"

"We had to separate when the walkers came down on us. They could be anywhere."

"If they are on horses like you said they will get a lot further than us."

Jesus heard the agitation in Aaron's voice.

"Do you want to turn back?" Jesus was facing Aaron now.

Aaron stared back at Jesus annoyed.

"No."

"Good. Because we need to find these people…. _any people_ to help us. Negan has numbers on us and as long as that is so, we will be under his thumb."

"You think I don't know that? We can't bring in just any people. It must be good people."

"You know what I mean. I got a good feeling from those people and they were willing to trade."

Aaron took a second scope of their surroundings when he saw three men staring at them from across the field. He tapped Jesus as discreetly as possible to draw his attention.

"Look."

Jesus turned around and peered into the distance.

"Is that them?"

"There are no horses….so no. I highly doubt it."

They looked at the men for a little bit longer. The men began to approach them. Jesus and Aaron did the same. Soon the five men met up in the middle of the field. No one said anything for a few minutes.

Jesus and Aaron observed the men's attire. The men appeared to have been on the move for quite sometime...having no fixed place of abode. Their shoes were significantly worn down and their clothes were battered and torn. Their bodies looked slightly emancipated.

"What are you doing here?"***********************

It was late evening when Bill, one of Negan's men found Gregory sulking in the kitchen. Most of the Hilltop residents were outside having their traditional weekly barbeque so the manor house was relatively quiet.

He was making a sandwich as he wanted no part of this community anymore. All he could think of was escaping the Hilltop and getting back to the Sanctuary.

"What wrong with you? Why aren't you outside with the others?"

Gregory ignored the man as he took a knife to butter his toast. The man laughed at him.

"You really thought you would be one of us when you told us about this place?"

The man shook his head comically as he leans up against the counter next to Gregory.

"Quite frankly I was surprised he's not allowing you to come back to the sanctuary, after all you gave us this goldmine of a place. Renée...his wife…"

It was the last thing Bill said as Gregory plunged his knife into his jugular. Gregory pulled out it quickly and Bill's warm blood came pitching forth from him across the floor. Bill reached up to grab his wounded neck but Gregory grabbed his hand and held it out infront of him.

As they struggled they both slipped and fell to the ground on Bill's blood. He tried to scream out for help but only made gurgling sounds instead. After a few minutes, the light in Bill's eyes died. Gregory slowly got up off the dead man.

Suddenly, he heard a gasp and his head snapped up. There, he saw Alexa with her hands over her mouth, horrified by the sight she had just witnessed. Her eyes then met Gregory's and from what she saw she knew that she was in trouble. She turned and take flight out of the kitchen.*******************

Gregory saw Alex's fleeing back and grabbing the bloody knife off the counter he gave chase. *****************

Panicked, Alexa was barely out in the passageway between the kitchen and the dining area when she open her mouth to scream for help. Suddenly, her head snapped back violently by the pulling of her hair, exposing her naked throat.

She saw when the knife came around and put up her hands to protect her neck. Gregory dragged the knife deep across the palm of her hands. Alexa screamed out from the pain but she heard no sound as Gregory caught her mouth with his hand after he released her hair. He pushed her up against the nearest wall and slammed her head into it...hard.

Stunned by the impact she tried to push them off the wall with her painful, throbbing hands but found that they only slipped from all the blood loss. He dug the knife into her side and her screams echoed in his hands. As he pressed all his body weight against her, Alexa was securely pinned against the wall.

"You people threw me out of my home." He whispered in her ear.

He twisted the knife slowly. Alexa wriggled between Gregory's body and the wall to no avail. Tears ran down from her eyes. He pressed his body harder against her, slowly squeezing the wind out of her. She couldn't breathe.

"I should be thanking you really.."

He twisted the knife again. Alexa's throat burned as she groaned in pain. She tried to grab Gregory's hand with the knife with all her strength. He withdrew the knife and plunged it again into her waist twisting the knife simultaneously.

Alexa closed her eyes to try to shut out the pain as Gregory stabbed her two more time and twisted the knife once more. He held the knife deep in her side forcefully. A sorrowful, painful moan escaped her lips as her hands fell limped at her side from exhaustion.

Alexa was whimpering now, tears flowing more freely. He pulled the knife out again….very slowly. She could feel her blood running down her leg. She mustered the last of her rapidly depleting strength to put one of her hands at her side to stop the bleeding while the other was clawing at Gregory's hand over her mouth. He continued whispering in her ear.

"I am going to get her back and no one is going to stop me! She's going to be mine..no matter what she or anyone says! She's mine!"

Gregory roared as he pulled Alexa's head back. Her eyes widen as she saw the blade swiftly appeared again. He pressed it against her neck and pulled…slow and deep. Her hand left her wounded side and reached up but it was too late.*******************

Gregory felt himself getting aroused as he watched Alexa's life force drained from her body against the wall. She got heavier and heavier as she slowly died against him. A minute later he allowed her body to slip from his grasp.

He looked at the bloody mess and Alexa's crumpled body with her eyes still open on the floor, pleased at his handy work. He raced to the kitchen and began to strip Bill of all his weapons. Then he heard the blood curdling scream from the living room area. He correctly deducted that Alexa's body has just been discovered. ********************

Dr Bryce was walking towards the manor house when he heard the scream. Soon after he saw an armed and bloody Gregory making a wild dash for the Hilltop's back gate from the side of the house.

"Hey!" He called out.

Gregory just glanced at him and kept running. The Dr's outburst caught the attention of Negan's other men patrolling the grounds who ran towards the Dr.

"What's going?!"

Dr Bryce pointed towards the gate where Gregory was halfway climbed up on it.

"Stop!" One of the men screamed as they gave immediate chase. The Dr rushed into the house.**********************

Gregory heard when Negan's men called out to him but he ignored them. He was at the top of the gate ready to jump off to freedom when they began shooting at him. The Hilltop residents scampered to take cover.

A bullet clipped Gregory in the shoulder which fell him forward over the gate on the outside. He painfully rolled to the side of the wall as one of the men screamed.

" Hurry up! Open the f*cking gate!"

As he heard the furious jingling of keys, a hand holding a gun pushed through the bars of the gate and began firing wildly outside. Gregory in pain quickly stood up and kicked the extended arm against the bars, breaking bone.

The man dropped the gun and howled in pain. Gregory dived for the gun and began shooting back through the gate killing the man and causing the other two to dive for cover.

"You're f*cking dead! You hear me?!" Dead!" a voice screamed out from inside behind the safety of the wall.

Gregory dragged himself up and sprinted into the darkness of the forest.******************

Renee was asleep when Negan arrived back from Alexandria. He looked at how peaceful she seemed on the bed. He took a shower and got into bed, careful not to touch her so she doesn't wake up. He quickly fell asleep.*******************

Gregory felt his way through the dark forest on high alert. He stop briefly to listen for any footsteps of anyone that might be following him. When he deemed that he wasn't followed, he continued walking. He needed to find shelter and fast.

' _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.'_ He stopped briefly to inhale the night's air. ' _I'm coming for you Renée.'_ He smiled to himself as he walked deeper into the night.*************************

Renee woke up to the sun on her face. She turned and squinted her eyes at the shadow in the room.

"Why didn't you wake me when you got back last night?" Negan was standing at the foot of the bed in a towel looking at her.

"You was tired so I let you sleep."

"And who's fault is that?!" She asked cheekily.

"The both of us!" He laughed.

She kneeled down infront of him at the edge of the bed.

"Promise me that you wouldn't be disappointed."

Negan looked at her puzzled.

"If nothing happens. If I don't get pregnant. It's been awhile and I don't know what's going on down there." She pointed to her womb.

"As much as I want this baby, I don't want it at the expense of us. But it would be nice to have some of my DNA running around this place."

Renee laughed as Negan hugged and showered her with kisses.***********************

The three men looked at Aaron and Jesus with curiosity.

"Nice clothes." One of the men remarked.

Jesus and Aaron looked at each other.

"Who are you? Where are you from?"

Neither Jesus or Aaron answered. One of the men grabbed Aaron's backpack off his back and opened it. He showed the others what is inside.

"Do you have any more food?"

Slowly, Jesus gave them his backpack. One of the men opened it. The men looked at each other then turned and began walking back into the forest.

"Hey! Where are you going with that?!"

Neither of the men answered. Jesus and Aaron followed cautiously. After a ten minute walk, they came upon a group of about 20 people in a clearing. They looked just as haggard and worn down as the three men. There were three young children and a teenage girl among them. The men walked up to a man standing watch over the group. They whispered something to him and gave him the backpacks. The man looked inside and then at Jesus and Aaron. He signalled to a woman close by who took the backpacks and began sharing the food among the children. Aaron and Jesus watched as the man walked slowly up to them. Despite his wiry frame at present, the man, if fed right has the potential to pack on approximately 250lbs of solid muscle to his almost 7 foot frame. The man towered over them. Jesus and Aaron took a step back to maintain some level of personal space between this man and themselves. The man looked back at his group and then at Jesus and Aaron.

"What do you want?**************************


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47: "Consumed"**

Jesus and Aaron looked past the strapping man to the group of people behind him. The children had already eaten the food that they were given and huddled around the woman's feet. The teenage girl was standing a couple steps away and the rest of the people was standing staring at them. Clearly these people was starving and starving people are dangerous people. The man stepped to the side, blocking their vision of the group. He folded his arms across his chest, waiting for an answer. Aaron began the suitability test.

"How many walkers have you killed?"

"Walkers?"

"Yeah. The undead."

"Alot."

"How many people have you killed?"

"Alot."

"Why?"

"Because I had to."

The man chuckled.

"So..did I pass your little test."

Aaron's face registered surprise.

"Maybe."

"Do you have alot of food where you're from?"

"Maybe."

The man squinted his eyes at them.

"You still haven't answered my question. What do you want? You're not from around here."

They hesitated before answering.

"We have a community but right now we have a problem. If you help us we could consider bringing you in."

There were low murmurs in the background.

"Not interested in joining your community. However we can help you solve your little problem in exchange for food and then we will be on our way."

Jesus and Aaron was surprised by the proposal. They stepped away to discuss it in private.

"What do you think? Can we trust them?"

"No, but what options do we have? This is the first group we have come across in days. They are willing to work for food and wants no part in joining us. This could work in our favour."

"They say that they don't want to join us. We don't know how true that is. They have young ones among them. They can't stay out here for too long. Besides they look dangerous."

"Dangerous is a good thing. The issue is whether they will be dangerous to us or to Negan."

Aaron and Jesus walked back to the man who was still standing firm in the position that they had left him in a few minutes earlier.

"How long will you be here?"

"Are you taking me up on my offer?"

"Maybe. We have to talk to our leader first."

"Fine. You have two days then we are gone. We don't stay one place too long. It's too dangerous."

"That's not enough time!"

The man's voice was firm.

"Two days."**********************

It was only the first day after Negan's dreaded visit and Rick felt worst about the predicament Alexandria was in. He hasn't been eating properly since this whole situation started which Michonne noticed.

She knows his mind is racing trying to come up with all kinds of plans to get from under Negan's rule. She felt his restlessness as he tosses and turns on their bed at night. She could feel him slipping away from her, from the children, from the community.

She knows just the thing to pull him back. She calls him upstairs. When Rick pushed open the door to their bedroom, a smile appeared on his lips..his heart became joyful...relaxed.**********************

Rick loves to see Michonne breast feeding their twins. It reminded him how lucky he was to have such joy in his life despite all the bad things that was happening. He was proud of these lives that he and Michonne created and how easy it could have been all taken away from him in the blink of an eye.

As Michonne balanced a suckling Dominic in one hand, her other hand was gently tickling Avery's tummy to her giggling delight. A calm feeling washes over Rick everytime he sees this sight...the twins in their mother's protective arms as they gain vital nutrients for their wellbeing.

Rick quickly crossed the room to their bed and plopped down besides them. He kisses Michonne's hand and then began playing with a bubbly Avery. It was clear she was glad to see her daddy as her tiny hands reached out wildly for him. From the look on Rick's face, the feeling was mutual.

As Avery's tiny fingers explores her father's face Michonne gently passed her hands through his hair. Rick closed his eyes to this soothing sensation. The room was quiet except for Avery's playful cries and Dominic's suckling noise. After a few minutes, Rick looked up at his infant son. He was latched firmly to his mother, eyes closed.

"Does he always eat this much?"

Michonne laughed and shook her head at her naive husband.

"Yes. They are just weeks old. Avery actually takes longer to feed."

Rick looked down at his daughter who was vying for his attention.

"You are slipping away Rick...from me..from us..from them. The twins need their father and I need my husband. We are here for you. Please don't lose yourself to Negan. Don't let him consume you...don't let him win!"

"I failed Alexandria Michy!"

Michonne's heart broke into a million pieces on hearing the anguish in Rick's voice.

"How can you say that?! You led and defended Alexandria from two attacks from the Saviours! You brought Daryl and Glen home to us! You gave Maggie and Rosita back their husbands and Elsa and Caleb their fathers! You made us whole again and kept this community together!"

She caressed Rick's face.

"You remember when we first got here, how timid and frightened these people were? Look at them now. They stand by your side, ready for combat at a moments notice to defend their home! You did that! Deanna would have been so proud of you. She saw something in you the minute she laid eyes on you that's why she turned over leadership of Alexandria the first chance she got. That decision paid off the moment the Wolves attacked us. You saved Alexandria."

"But so many people died. I couldn't save them from Negan and the Saviours."

"Those people..Tobin and the others died doing what they thought they could never do. That is to defend themselves. No one blames you for any of these deaths. These people are willing to go to war against Negan for you...with you. That's a fact. Stand on the strength of our shoulders Rick. All of us. We are here for you. Never forget that!"

"I made a mistake. I underestimated Negan...the Saviours."

" _We_ underestimated him based on the information we had at the time Rick. _We!_ Don't take on all that weight of what happen all by yourself. It's not fair to you or to us. We all sat in that church and made a collective decision. We made the best decision we could at the time. Now that we know better, we will correct it."

Rick buries his face in Michonne's lap and whimpered.

"I'm so sorry!"

Tears threaten to leak from Michonne's eyes but she fought them back as she caressed Rick's head. She look over at Avery and saw that she was upset too. From the moment Avery was born, she have always had a strong connection to her father emotionally and could always tell when he was upset. She started to cry. Rick instantly sat up and cradled his distressed daughter to his bosom.

Michonne looked down at her son and saw that he was wide eyed and staring straight up at her. He could sense that something was wrong as his hands reached up to her. She too brought him up to her chest and gently cradled him. Both Rick and Michonne looked at each other coming to the full realization that the twins was emotionally bonded to them very strongly.

Rick pulled Michonne close to him and kisses her deeply. Then with their heads together, they gazed lovingly into each other eyes. Michonne whispered to him.

"Lean on me Rick. I am here for you and I always will be. All you have to do is just lean on me."

They kissed again.***********************

The day's sun was not kind to Gregory. He was tired and hungry but based on his memory he was 80% sure that he was going in the right direction towards the Sanctuary. He leaned against a nearby tree to try and catch his breath.

He was trying to formulate a fool proof plan on how to get to Renée. He tries to review the events of last night in his head. It's like he snapped when Bill mentioned Renee's name, especially as Negan's wife. It was bad enough when he thought that they were just f*cking.

Now it angers him that she's his wife. It only made it that much harder to get to her. From his limited time at the Sanctuary he knows that Negan always keeps a close eye on her..clearly she's important to him. He thought over what he did to poor Alexa.

 _Wrong time...wrong place honey..._ he thought to himself. She had to die in order for him to escape...it's as simple as that. He was quite surprised though at the erection he got feeling Alexa slowly dying against him. It was such a rush.

His mind now wondered to the sweetness between Renée's thighs and how good it would feel being between them again. He laughed to himself. _'Maybe I could take her somewhere where I could hold her and get her pregnant again.'_

He began to feel an all too familiar stir in his pants at the thought of cumming inside of Renée, making her squirm under him. He closed his eyes and pictured her with a swollen belly, carrying his child again and smiled wolvishly at the thought.

One of the complaints that many of his exes in the past have said is that he's too obsessive even possessive sometimes. But he doesn't care at this point. He wants what he wants and what he wants right now is Renée.

Gregory opened his eyes when he heard the growl behind him. He turned around and saw about a dozen walkers heading his way. He quickly got up and started walking again more focused and determined more than ever.***********************

As the water cascade down their bodies, Renee and Negan devoured each other. Her legs was firmly locked around his waist as he had her pinned against the bathroom wall. Pressing his body up Renée pushed her body down on his hard as steel thick cock. She moaned as Negan buried his head in her neck and pumped her steadily.

When Renée dug her nails into his back, he knew that he was finally hitting her spot. Lifting her legs higher, he began giving her long and deep sensual strokes. She moved her hips simultaneously to meet his rhythm but that was too much for Negan to take.

"Shit! F*ck me!" He whispered hoarsely. Renée pushed herself down on him as hard as she can. They both climaxed at the same time. Renee's toes curled as her chest moved forward. Negan grabbed one of the breast in one hand and locked his lips around the other. Negan pushed himself up inside her. They stood there under the shower for ten minutes, panting at each other.***********************


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48: "Surprise"**

Abe, Daryl and two of Negan's men David and Mickey went out on an early supply run while Nathan, Samuel and Marion took up duty watching Ottley and Titus. As they keep them busy, Rick and Glen manages to slip out of Alexandria and meet up with Jesus and Aaron at their safe house. After their discussions, he expressed his reservation about trusting the people in the forest.

Jesus and Aaron's description of them wasn't too encouraging. Glen agreed but what other option do they have. That's when Aaron suggested that they take a few supplies to them as a gesture of good faith and check on them in a few days.

"If they are still there when we get back, we could move on from there. It is a risk."

"A very big risk!" Rick said still not convinced.

"It was the same risk i took with you and your group Rick. Remember?" He paused as Rick eyed him. "We are asking these people to put their lives at risk for total strangers and their problems. They could have easily killed us or follow us back here but they didn't."

"We already owe Negan half of our supplies every month and now you want us to give half of our half to strangers?"

"Keep what you have in Alexandria. We'll take some from the supplies we have here. The worst that could happen is that after they get the supplies they leave."

Rick eyes narrowed.

"If we want people to trust us, we have to trust them first. At least in this case." Jesus interjected.

Jesus could see that Rick was struggling with this.

"Fine…" Rick said reluctantly. "Make sure you are not followed back here. I don't need another threat to worry about."*****************

As the moonlight streamed through the bedroom window, Renée was resting on her elbows and watched giddily at Negan's head between her spread legs. His tongue darted in and out of her with amazing fluidity. Feeling her end nearing, she grabbed a fistful of his hair as a signal for him to slow down or to stop but he paid no heed.

"Stop!"

He kept going faster and faster.

"Stop..." She whispered. "I'm cumming."

He ignored her pleads.

"Pleaseee!" She whimpered but it was too late as Negan pushed his tongue deep in her and held it there.

"Oh god!" Renee said into the darkness but no sound escaped her lips.

The muscles in her center contracted so tightly that she fell back into the bed in a violent spasm. After a minute, her body slowly and painful relaxed and Negan extracted him tongue. He gently lay on top of her, smiling as she tried to catch her breath.

"That was so good!"

"Ready for round two yet?"

Renee looked at Negan as if he was a madman.

"Oh God no!" and they laughed into the night.*************

It was only on the second day in the forest that Gregory realized that he was lost.

"F*ck!" He shouted to the top of his lungs as he looked around.

He had no idea where he was. The only choice he had was to retrace his steps and go back to the Hilltop. He had no food or water for two days. He took out three walkers that was coming towards him and turned around.******************

Renee stood naked in front of the bathroom mirror. Negan hadn't awoke as yet. She had noticed that she ran a slight fever every morning for the past two weeks and that her breast was much fuller and tender to the touch for the past week.

Looking in the mirror now she saw that the contour of her body has also change. Her hips were abit broader than usual and the realization slowly dawned on her. She covered her mouth, turned and looked at the sleeping father to be on the bed.**********************

Negan woke up to see Renée sitting at the edge of the bed looking at him.

"Hey."

"Hey….Are you going to the Hilltop anytime soon?"

"In three days. Why?"

Renee moves closer to him.

"You said that they have a monitor and stuff there right? Medical equipment and a doctor as well?"

"Yeah..." Negan looked at her suspiciously.

Renee inhaled deeply.

"I don't want to be alarmist or get your hopes up but.."

"But what?"

Renee took his hand and placed it on her tummy. Negan's eyes instantly lit up as his back straightened. Renee was smiling.

"I think I'm pregnant. _We're pregnant."*********************_

Frederick and Steven was on the South wall watch waiting for Rick and Glen to come back. Soon they heard a familiar whistle. They cautiously looked around to make sure that none of Negan's men was in the vicinity. Deeming it safe, Frederick quickly opened the gate and both Rick and Glen slipped in. Looking around, they made a mad dash to their respective homes.

Frederick silently locked back the gate and resumed his guard duties. No sooner had Rick rush through the backdoor of his home, a knocking started on his front door. Michonne walked downstairs to open it and she saw a sweaty Rick standing in the middle of the kitchen. They heard a voice called out. It was Titus.

"Rick!"

Michonne signalled for Rick to go upstairs to change quickly. Michonne opened the door and crossed her arms. Titus smiled sweetly at Michonne.

"Rick….is he here?"

She glanced behind him and saw Nathan and Marion standing there. She addressed them directly.

"What's going on?" Her voice was steely.

"He said he had a matter to discuss with Rick urgently."

"Really?" She glanced at Titus and knew he was up to something.

"Rick is in bed. He's not feeling well. Whatever you have to discuss with him you can discuss it with me."

Titus chuckle felt like an insult to Michonne.

"With all due respect you're not the leader here. Rick is and if I want to talk to the leader I _will_ talk to the leader."

Titus took a menacing step towards Michonne and Nathan and Marion clicked their guns ready to cut him down at the slightest infraction. Michonne's hand was already behind her back, slowly pulling out a knife. Suddenly, she felt a sturdy hand on her hand with the knife behind her back and the another hand placed firmly on her belly. Those hands quieted the deadly rage that was quickly building inside her...those hands just saved Titus's life. She didn't blink, she didn't flinch. She just kept her gaze fixed on Titus.

"What's going on here?" Rick asked.

Marion swallowed hard.

"Titus said he wanted to see you urgently."

Rick turned and faced Titus.

"About what?"

"Can we take a walk?"

Rick looked at Michonne and gave her a gently shake.

"Hey."

Michonne didn't look at him. He whispered in her ears.

"Hey..look at me."

He shook her again and she slowly turned towards Rick. They looked at each other, silent communication passing between then. Then she nodded at him. They briefly kissed and Michonne went inside.

"Let's go.****************

"What did you want to talk to me about?"

"How are you?"

"Excuse me."

"For someone who is a leader, you don't seem to be leading much. I never see you around."

Nathan and Marion looked at each other as Rick suddenly halted his steps and looked at Titus.

"What do you want?"

"Where were you all day? I just wanted to know since I haven't been seeing you a lot."

Rick laughed and continued walking. Titus quickly followed. Rick turned up an alley between two houses.

"Look Rick, if this arrangement is to work, you have to play ball with us. We don't want to see anyone get hurt. Just play your part, that's all. That wife of yours needs to be mannered, she needs to know her place otherwise…."

Rick turned quickly and slugged Titus hard. He staggered back against the walls of one of the houses. He turned to Rick stunned and enraged. He screamed at Rick.

"Are you f*cking crazy?!"

He charged at Rick but Rick kicked him square in the gut. He went down. Marion and Nathan stood there in disbelief as Rick dragged the man to his feet by his collar and slammed him hard against the wall. He then pulled out his gun and pointed it at the man's head. Titus blinked wildly at Rick, then at Nathan and Marion and back at Rick again. Rick was eerily calm, his eyes cold as ice.

"What the f*ck!" Titus croaked.

Rick pressed the gun against Titus's forehead.

"The next time you come to my home..my wife's home and disrespect her like that again…...I will f*cking kill you. If you go to any member of my family's home and disrespect them….I will f*cking kill you. If you disrespect any member of this community like that...I will f*cking kill you. You got that?"

When Titus defiantly refused to answer, Rick pressed the gun hard into his forehead.

"Yes!" Titus screamed. "F*ck Yes!"

Rick slowly removed the gun from Titus's head and walked away, leaving a shocked Nathan and Marion watching after him. Titus spat blood from his mouth, glaring after Rick till he disappeared from sight.**************************

It was the second day after Renee telling Negan that she might be pregnant and he have been constantly fussing over her. After much prodding by Negan, Renee finally agreed to go to the Hilltop today. As they drove there Negan had a huge smile on his face.

"Can you please stop smiling? It's making me nervous and creeping me out."

He reach out and held her hand, a smile still beaming off his face.******************

When Rick walked back into his home, he met Michonne, Carl, Judith and the twins. Judith ran to her father. When Rick picked her up and began showering her with kisses, Carl noticed Rick's bruised hands.

"What happened dad?"

Michonne looked up. Rick looked at her.

"Had to take care of a minor problem."

Carl looked at both his parents.

What's going on?!"

"Nothing." Michonne replied.

"Are you sure?"

Both Michonne and Rick nodded. From the look on Carl face they knew he didn't fully believe them.

"Ok, but promise me that if there is a problem you'll tell me."

"Ok."******************

When Negan drove up into the compound of the Hilltop he knew something was wrong. Neil, one of his men walked up to him fuming. Negan and Renée got out of the car. Neil said nothing until Renee disappeared into the manor house.

"These people killed my brother Wally! And that f*cker Gregory killed Kyle and Pope! He escaped!"

Negan glared at Neil!"

"What the f*ck? When did this shit happen?"

"They killed Wally soon after you left and Gregory escaped two days ago!"

Negan nodded to the two carloads of men he had brought with him. The men fanned out inside and outside the Hilltop.

"I need to see the doctor and then we will deal with this!"

Negan rushes inside.******************

Dr Bryce was about to start the examination when Negan walked in. He wasn't happy to see Negan but Negan didn't care. He sat down and held Renée's hand. After five minutes, the doctor confirmed what Renée already had suspected.

"You are two months pregnant."

"What?!" Renee exclaimed. "Two months?!"

The doctor nodded as Renee and Negan stared at each other.

"I didn't know I so far along. I never had a regular period so I never suspected anything. I only noticed some symptoms two weeks ago that's why I came. I suspected the max three weeks…. a month at most!"

She exhaled.

"I was pregnant even before we decided to get pregnant."

She looked at Negan who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Geez! Will you just quit it!"

Dr Bryce left the room. After minutes of silence in the room, it was Renee who finally whispered.

"We're having a baby."*****************


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49: "Plans"**

Because of the unwanted presence in Alexandria, Rick took the decision that the once a month council church meeting will be suspended until further notice. Instead there will be individual pockets of discussions in each council member household and then one person is assigned each week to make suggestions to Rick.

The residents are also free to make suggestion to Rick on a one on one basis. Large gatherings are to be avoided so as not the raise any suspicion to Negan's people. Besides the assigned people to Titus and the others, the rest of the community have also taken an active role in keeping their eyes on the unwelcomed guests as well.

Carl recently told him that he overheard one of the men complaining that they are being watched constantly by _everyone._ ' _Good.'_ Rick had replied to him with pride in his heart and a smile on his face. Every Alexandrian knows what's at stake and they are willing to find solutions to their predicament. Rick watched carefully as Michonne applied a cold compress to his sore knuckles. She has a smile on her face.

"What are you smiling about?"

"I was just wondering what Titus's face probably looked like when you punched him."

"You should have seen Nathan's and Marion's face. Priceless."

There was a moment of silence for a couple minutes. Michonne got serious.

"That was too close."

"Yeah. He is watching me. We need to be more careful and I need to be more visible to them."

In frustration, Michonne threw the cold compress in the kitchen sink and walked into the living room. Rick followed her. She dropped herself on the sofa, burying her face in her hands. Rick kneeled down infront of her, his hands holding firm on her thighs. A soft single cry escaped her lips and Rick hugged her, pulling her close.

"I'm sorry." She said. "This is not the life I saw for Carl, Judith, Avery, Dominic or any of the other children here."

"I know."

Michonne pulled away from him, defiantly now.

"The only reason David and the others are here is because we don't know the saviours numbers. We don't know where the other camp is located."

Rick sat down on the sofa next to Michonne feeding off this new revived energy radiating off of her.

"We need to get our numbers up."

Rick could see the strategy wheels turning in Michonne's head. He was so turned on right now as his eyes travelled along the length of her body. He forced himself to concentrate on her words.

"We have approximately fifty people here right?"

"Thirty eight to be exact."

"Ok. Once we free the Hilltop, we could add their twenty to ours. That's fifty eight."

Rick nodded.

"Plus if Jesus gets the twenty people he met with that's seventy eight."

"I wouldn't count on them. We don't know these people. They could very well take the supplies and run."

"We didn't do that when Aaron left the supplies for us."

"Yeah...thanks to you. But these people are desperate."

"So were we Rick."

Rick swallow hard at her last words. They ring so true in his ears.

"So you want to trust these people..that they will come through for us?"

"All I am saying is give them a chance. People need chances to prove themselves. Deanna did that for you." She paused to let her words soak in. "They say that they don't want to join us but when they see how things work here they might change their minds."

Rick nodded at her reasoning.

"Other than the camps, we need to hit Negan where it would hurt him the most so that he is dealt with permanently."

"You mean like to kill him?" Michonne's eyebrows perked up.

"I mean like taking his daughter. Having her here will give us the ultimate leverage even if we don't get to find his other camp. He wouldn't dare attack us if she's in Alexandria and risk her getting hurt."

"What about a wife?"

"If he has a wife we'll take her too if we can."

Michonne frowned.

"That's like stooping to his level. Doing what he did to Daryl and Glen."

"We are nothing like him! We just wanted to live in peace and his people attacked us first so if going down to his level is the only way to get out from under him we will do it! He has just as much to lose as us! It's time he's reminded of that!"

Michonne put her hand on Rick's chest to calm him down.

"I am just fleshing out all the angles. If we do this, we have to do it right...it has to work otherwise there is no coming back from it. He could kill us all. Taking his family should be a method of last resort if all else fail. We must take away all his advantages over us. We must bring him to his knees."*********************

Gregory looked at a bunch of red berries on a vine infront of him. He couldn't tell if they were edible or not. He was almost back at the Hilltop but he knew that he couldn't go in. Neil will certainly kill him and none of the residents will come to his aid. Suddenly he remembered that not too far from the east of Hilltop was a group of abandoned cars near some fruit trees. It's not too close to the community but it's not too far either that he can't monitor them as well.*********************

Jesus and Aaron tried to keep a steady pace as they make their way to the group in the forest.

"Do you think they are still there?"Aaron asked.

"I hope so. This is the third day and he gave us two."

They ran across the field and into the forest on the opposite side. When they finally reached their destination, their hearts sank. It was deserted...its occupants having long moved on. They looked around for any signs that they may be coming back. They found nothing. Aside from a pile of skinned walkers in a bloody heap near some trees, Jesus and Aaron was left with their last hope dashed to pieces. They looked at each other..disappointment marred their face.

"What are we going to do now?"

Aaron looked around and an idea hit him. He pointed up in the trees.

"Can you get up there?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Leave the supplies up there. I had a good feeling about those people. They could come back."

Jesus looked at Aaron skeptically, took the bags and began climbing. *********************

Jude, Olivia and Brad's interest was aroused when they saw the cars pull up to the Hilltop. Soon after a group of about eight men rushed out of the gate, agitated..fully armed.

"Something's going down and it's doesn't look good." Brad said looking at the heightened men.

"One of us needs to go back to Alexandria and tell Rick."

"Tell Rick what? We don't even know what's going on!"

They looked at each other.

"Until we know what's actually going on...we're staying here."********************

Renee and Negan sat in the room, fingers intertwined looking at each other. Suddenly, a heavy realization hit her. ' _Gregory! He's here! At the Hilltop!_

"Where is Gregory?"

Negan swallowed hard.

"He escaped."

"What?!" Renee screamed jumping up off the bed. "When did he escape?! _How_ did he escape?!"

Renee was pacing the room now...worrying herself.

"You need to calm down! It's not good for the baby!"

"We have to find him! We have…"

Renee didn't get to finished the sentence as suddenly she grabbed her tummy and doubled over in pain.

"Oh God!" She gasped. Negan caught her as she dropped to her knees. "Ahhhhhhh! She screamed out as the pain tore across her body.

Dr Bryce came charging in the room.

"What happened?"

He asked as Negan positioned Renee on the bed. She curled up in a fetal position as she groaned. Beads of sweat began to form on her forehead. Dr Bruce pushed Negan put of his way so he can exam her.

"What's wrong with her?!"

Dr Bryce quickly checked her vital signs.

"Jesus Christ! Her heart racing! She needs to calm down!"

He turned to Negan angrily.

"What did you do?!"

He didn't wait for Negan to answer as he quickly injected Renée with a mild sedative. They watched with baited breaths as the monitor showed that her heart beat was slowly coming down to it's regular beat. Negan looked at Renée as her eyes fluttered close.************************

When Renee came too almost an hour later both Negan and the Dr was there. Renee and Negan looked at each other as Dr Bryce looked at the both of them. He nodded at her and stepped out of the room so she and Dr Bryce talk. He had other matters to attend to.****************

Dr Bryce saw the worried look Renée's face. He gave her some prenatal vitamins. She took them absent mindedly.

"I need you to avoid stress…of any kind. I don't know what happened earlier but it can't happen again. Understood?"

She looked at the Dr.

"Is this your first child?"

"No."

"Then you should know that you are at the most delicate stage of your pregnancy. Lots of complications can happen just from stress alone. You could have a miscarriage."

"I know. It's one of the first things they teach you in med school."

Dr Bryce looked up at her.

"You're a doctor?"

Renée smiled..nodding her head.

"Really? Well it's good to find another fellow practitioner around here. That makes the three of us now." He laughed. "We could form a clinic."

"There's another doctor here?"**********************

Negan listened as an angry Neil offloaded about his missing brother and the deaths of Bill and Pope.

"That prick also killed one of their own..a woman. Alexa."

Negan walked inside the manor house. *******************

Dr Bryce was about to cover his blunder when Negan came back in the room. Renee noticed the seriousness in his face.

"What's going on?"

"I needs to speak to the doctor. Alone."

"Why?"

Dr Bryce felt the intensity in the room.

"I'll go. You stay here. Remember….no stress." He followed Negan out of the room and into the yard.

Out in the yard. Negan began his interrogation.

"Where's Wally?"

"Like I told him..Wally said that he was going on patrol and he never came back."

"Wally would never go on patrol by himself without telling me! One of you killed him!" Neil screamed at him.

"I told you what happen. I am sorry you don't believe me. That's what happened."

Negan looked straight into the doctor's eyes and knew he was lying.

"So you're gonna stick with that story?"

"It's not a story. It's a fact. You can ask anyone here. We have nothing to hide."

"You want me to hear more lies?"

He looked around and saw Renée looking at them from the window. He closed the gap between himself and the doctor.

"The only reason I am not feeding you to Lucille right now is because of that woman in there. She carrying my child and I will not do anything to jeopardize her or the baby. She needs a doctor...she needs you. The only other reason I am not killing one of your people is because it will be a little hard for you to concentrate and keep Renée and my baby healthy with the image of one of you friend's soupy skull floating around in your head. Then you or one of your people might get the foolish idea to harm her and the baby and I will have cause to come back here and go bat-shit crazy on all of you….literally. Make no mistake….Lucille is hungry and she is due for a feeding."

He looked at Renée and looked back at the doctor.

"If anymore of my men dies I will make sure Lucille has a date...Don't worry. It wouldn't be you..I need you but one of these people…your people will be Lucille's first bite."

He paused.

"I really hope we understand each other."

The doctor nodded.

"Good."***********************

Titus sat in the porch of their house rubbing his jaw. He is still feeling the effects of Rick's right hand. Soon enough, Rick, Daryl and Teddy walked by. Rick waved to them.

' _Is this visible enough for you asshole?!'_ Rick thought as he walked past their house. Mickey saw the demeanor of Titus changed.

"Let it go man."

"F*ck you Mickey! These pricks work for us! Who does the hell he think he is? Having us followed? We should be watching them..not the other way around! And that bitch of his? Wait till I get my hands on her!"

Mickey laughed.

"Firstly..they work for Negan. We all work for Negan. Secondly, good luck on getting your hands on her. When she's done with you, you probably wouldn't have hands and thirdly, you can't go to Rick's home and disrespect his wife. You asked for that beat down!"

Titus turned to Mickey angrily.

"What the f*ck?! Are you taking their side?"

"It's not a matter about taking sides. No matter how bad a situation is everyone has a code. Negan's had a code..he doesn't condone rape. Rick? Clearly he doesn't like disrespect...to him or his people."

"Bullshit!"

"We are in their home uninvited and there is nothing they can do about it. They don't like us. You think going to the leader's home and insulting his wife and who is probably the community's second in command is doing us any favours? Negan wants this place to run smoothly. We are just here to make sure things run smoothly and report anything suspicious to him."

"They are up to something."

"You don't know that."

"I'm telling you! They are planning something. I could feel it and I'm going to find out what it is."********************


	50. Chapter 50

_**Acknowledgements:**_

 _ **As I write the 50th Chapter of TWD Chronicles, I want to thank all those who have been with me on this journey….those who took the time to read, those who took the time to comment, those who took the time to follow me as an author, who faithfully followed the story and even pegged TWD Chronicles as one of their favourite stories. Just basically everyone.**_

 _ **There are characters that you love, characters that you hate and characters who seem to be making very questionable choices given the world that they are now forced to live in. You have witnessed births and you have witnessed deaths.**_

 _ **Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feeling on these events and I would like to encourage you to keep reading...keep loving and keep commenting. I am motivated by each comment to continue this story.**_

 _ **Thank you all and happy reading!**_

 _ **Chapter 50: "Precious Cargo"**_

From the sofa Michonne smiled as Rick, Carl, Enid and Judith fuss over Avery and Dominic on the floor in their living room. Feeling overwhelmed at all the happiness in one tiny space, she got up. Rick noticed and rose from the floor.

"Hey. Are you ok?"

Michonne pulled Rick towards her with such aggression that it caught him completely off guard. She kisses him deeply. Carl and Enid looked at each other as Enid covered Judith's eyes. Rick snaked one hand around her waist while the other one passionately squeezed her round, ample butt.

"Dad!"

After thirty seconds, Rick and Michonne pulled away and looked at the group on the floor.

"What?" Rick moaned at them lazily.

Carl gestured towards the twins on the floor, while Enid tried to keep her hands over a wiggling Judith's eyes. Avery and Dominic was quiet...eyes were fixed on their parents with mad curiosity. Michonne giggled and buried her face in Rick's shoulders as he gave her butt another quick squeeze... Suddenly the twins let out a loud, joyous scream.

"Omg!" Enid cried out and began laughing. Carl looked at his wife to be and he too started to laugh. It was amazing.

After a few minutes, Carl, Enid and Judith's attention reverted to the twins. Rick turned his attention back to his wife as she was looking at them.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." She briefly kissed him again and slipped outside unto the porch. Rick joined the rest of his family on the floor.

Out on the porch, Michonne inhaled deeply. The air was so fresh and clean, the evening was cool and breezy. The Grimes home was at a strategic vantage point in Alexandria. They can see most of the houses and the hustle and bustle of the residents.

As Michonne looked around at each and every member of this community as they pass by she can't help but feel lucky and blessed she is. If one could just briefly forget for a moment that there are intruders amongst them Alexandria can be classed as a paradise.

They've built a home here. Carl found peace here. Judith has a stable home here. Elsa, Robyn and Caleb was born here. She gave birth and became a mother for a second time here. Alexandria is theirs. Michonne longed to walk Avery and Dominic out into the world that they are to claim as their own one day.

However, other than hastily shuffling them from house to house for their safety amid the chaos since they were born, they have never been outside of their home to truly enjoy it. They were precious cargo, jealously guarded and to be viciously defended if needed be. They have never felt the sunlight on their face or touched the water in the pond laden with colourful lily pads.

"Hey Michonne!"

Candice quipped breaking her private thoughts. She had Elsa in her arms. Maya and Celeste was also with her.

"Hey!" She walked down the steps greeting them.

"Is Judith around? I'm taking Elsa to make some cookies at Carol's. I was wondering if I can take Judith too. I know she likes that kind of stuff."

"Sure."

Elsa was desperately reaching out to Michonne for hugs. "Judith!"

Judith flew out of the front door and down the steps.

"Mummy?"

"Do you want to make cookies at aunty Carol's with Candice?"

Judith started to jump up and down screaming excitedly. She then grabbed onto Michonne leg, squeezing tightly for a few seconds before running over to Maya who scooped her up. Michonne kissed her daughter and Elsa before handing her back to Candice. She waved them goodbye as she watched them disappear into the safety of Carol's house. When she turned around Rick was looking at her. He stretched out his hand to her. She walked up the steps and took it. He led her to the swing seat, sat down and motioned for her to sit on his lap. She graciously accepted. With his left foot, he gently pushed them off into a smooth swinging motion. He wrapped his hand around her waist loosely.

"Now...are you ready to tell me what's bugging you?"

Michonne ran her slender fingers through his hair.

"We've come so far Rick. From the prison to terminus to weeks on the road and now here. I want to leave this world and Alexandria better for our children. They haven't been out of the house to enjoy what Alexandria has to offer since they were born!"

"You want us to take them for a walk now?"

Michonne vigorously shook her head.

"I'm scared!" she cries.

Rick looked into Michonne's eyes and saw genuine fear..something that he has rarely seen from her. He called Carl.

"Carl!"

Carl came outside. He saw his father wiping a tear from his mother's eyes.

"Bring the twins."

Carl slowly looked between his parents and went inside.

"It's too soon!" Michonne protested.

"How about we take baby steps? We just bring them right here on the porch with us and no further. Deal?"

Soon Carl and Enid appeared with Avery and Dominic in their arms and handed them to their parents. The twins looked up at them with toothless grins. Michonne bursted out laughing as Rick watched her contented.***********************

Negan looked at a resting Renee on the bed in the room. He thought he was going to die when he saw her hunched over in pain at the knowledge that Gregory had escaped. He thought _she_ was going to die.

As Dr Bryce examined her, the worst thoughts was going through his head. _'Is this it? Is she going to lose the baby? Their baby?'_ As he gazed at Renée he closed his eyes as if to shut out these terrible thoughts. He erased his mind and filled it with the one single thought that matters.

He's going to be a father. Yes, the world is not ideal but despite all that is happening, he managed to carve out a world for himself..a cruel but working world. It was because of this world, he found a woman he loved and her daughter who he considers his own and now he is going to be a biological father for the very first time.

He wondered if Renee is scared. He knows he is. He has seen so much death around him….he himself have been the cause of so much death around him. Now he has created a life that will soon come into this cruel cruel world. Will he be able to protect his child like Renee has Jasmine?

She has managed to shield Jasmine from the worst of the worst that this world has to offer. Will he be able to do the same? He has been able to control more than 100 men..well significantly less now, thanks to Rick's raid on two of his camps.

He wondered how Jasmine would feel about having a sibling after such a long time of being alone. ' _Would she be happy? Or angry? Or sad?'_ Having a baby at the Sanctuary would certainly be different. It will give the few ladies at the outpost something to fuss over.

Negan pulled his chair closer to the bed and enjoyed Renee's calm and relaxed breaths. He put his hand on her belly. ' _Where would his or her first steps or words be? In privacy of their bedroom? In the medical room? Or would it be in the hall in the full view of all the residents?"_

Negan grew up as an only child and Zane was his only true and constant friend throughout his life. Although they both came from single parent households, whenever things were tough they would always lean on each other. In his mind..they were brothers.

He wants that close unit family bond for his child. To always have someone to lean on. He knows that with him and Renée and Jasmine and the rest of the saviours this baby will have the best support system.

Negan gently rubbed Renée tummy to perhaps soothe whatever residual pain that she maybe feeling previously. Gregory is out there, somewhere and he is a threat to him and his family. Renee knowing of Gregory running around has caused her stress….will cause her stress...something that she can't be under.

He wanted to end Gregory's life the minute he found out about his role in Renée's life. The pain he caused her..what he represented. Renee didn't want to be responsible for the death of Jasmine's father and she maintained that as long as he was away from her and Jasmine his life will be spared. That's the reason he was confined to the Hilltop.

However, will her stance change now that he is a possible threat to not just her and Jasmine but also to their unborn child? They have to make a decision..the decision, no matter how unpleasant it is. He continued rubbing her tummy causing Renee to slowly open her eyes.

"Hey." He whispered.

"Hey."

"How are you feeling?"

"Scared."

"Me too."

"Really?"

"Yeah. This is new to me."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For scaring you earlier."

Negan smiled briefly then he got serious.

"We are going to look for Gregory. He killed one of the people here..Alexa and two of our people." He looked her firmly in the eyes. "He is a threat to everyone...especially to you, Jasmine and now our baby. You know what I want to do when I catch him but it's not up to me."

Renee turned away from Negan's intense stare.

"What do you want me to do Renée?"

A minute of eerie silence engulfed the room.

"What do you want me to do?"

Renee turned and face Negan.

"If he comes near Jasmine, me or our baby..….kill him."


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter 51: " Healing"**

Aaron and Jesus walked in silence along the road, each one lost in their own thoughts of despair. They came upon a car on its hood, trunk wide open. Aaron spied a first aid kit inside. He took it out and handed it to Jesus as he check the trunk for more useful stuff. He noticed a change in Jesus's mood as he held the kit in his hand.

"We will find another group. We just have to keep looking."

"It's not that. It's Dr Bryce. He doesn't know that the saviours attacked Alexandria again. He doesn't know Denise died in that attack."

He angrily stuffed the kit in his bag.

"You know what's ironic? He and Denise was actually talking about forming a clinic at Alexandria. He got the idea when he came to monitor Michonne when she was pregnant with the twins before she got shot. I mean Alexandria have six young children alone and more could be coming. Then when Michonne was shot he was convinced more than ever that it needed to be done. He was hoping that they would find another doctor and have different clinic days to keep up the health of both communities. He told me that he could be the surgeon, Denise would be for pediatrics and the other doctor could be the general practitioner and would also float between him and Denise whenever the need arise."

Aaron looked on shock. He didn't know that such big plans were in the works.

"Did Rick know?"

"Dr Bryce mentioned it to him but told Rick not to say anything until all this saviours mess was done with. He didn't want to get anyone hopes up. By the time I went back home, the saviours had already taken over so he doesn't know about Denise.

Aaron shook his head solemnly.

"Dr Bryce will be devastated."

"Yes..he will."

Neither men said anything for a couple of minutes as they scoped their surroundings. A couple of walkers came out of the woods and after Jesus dealt with them both he and Aaron continued their search.******************

Gregory fell to the ground writhe in pain. The bullet was still lodged in his shoulder days after being shot. The wound was infected. His shoulder was badly swollen and fiery to the touch and so was his forehead. He had fever….his body was on fire...he was burning up. As he lay on his back, he looked up at the trees with blurry vision. He was sweating profusely which ran down into his eyes. His breathing was laboured. Slowly and painfully he turned on his belly. He recognized some of the trees...the area do look familiar. He must be close to the Hilltop. He closed his eyes. ' _I can't die like this! Not like this! There is so much he wanted to do...to her!'_ Gregory forced himself to his knees when he heard footsteps. It was a walker. He shot it and on trembling legs, got up, took in a deep breath and forced his way forward with only one person in his head… Renée.

Negan was out in yard...some of his men was gathered around him while the rest stood guard outside.

"We find this f*cker! Today!"

"Do we kill him on sight?"

"No…..bring him to me."*******************

Renee felt Dr Bryce's eyes on her. She kept her back to him.

"What?"

"You need to take it easy."

"I know. I am trying."

"Try harder. You are not going to lose this baby on me. Not on my watch."

Renee looked at the doctor then turned away from him again. After a few minutes he left the room.*********************

Gregory took one more painful, breathless step and dropped to his knees. Just a few feet away from him was the cluster of cars near the fruit trees east of the Hilltop. However he couldn't go any further. To his right four walkers was heading straight for him. He took out his gun and aimed. His vision tricked him when he fired and missed the first walker.******************

Negan's head snapped around when he heard the gunshot. He looked at the men who was just leaving the compound to their mission.

"Go!" He commanded.*****************

Renee ran out to the yard when she heard the gunshot.

"What's that?" She asked Negan who was trying to usher back inside for safety.

"What was that?!" She asked again. This time her tone was demanding.

"You stay here. We're going to check it out."

"Could it be him?"

Negan left her on the porch with saying a single word.*********************

Gregory fired another shot and missed again. He pulled the trigger a third time and the walker went down. He aimed at the other walker closest to him and pulled the trigger. ' _Click'_ He pulled the trigger again. ' _Click.'_ Empty.

"Shit!" Gregory muffled under his breath.

He looked up and when the walker was in reach, he used the gun to bash in its skull. The other walkers were dangerously closer now. He tried to crawl away backwards from them but it wasn't enough. The walker fell on him. He struggled with the walker with all his might while trying to keep his blurry eyes on the approaching one. His strength was failing him as the walker's nashing teeth drew closer to his neck. Suddenly a single gunshot rang out, walker blood spilling all over his face. With his last ounce of will power he painfully threw the walker to the side of him. He looked up as shadows surround him but he couldn't see any faces. Another single shot was heard. Then he heard voices.

"Well well well… Look what the cat dragged in."

There were chuckles around him.

"The irony! What are the odds of him coming to us instead of us going to him?"

"This is going to be the best Lucille kill yet."

It was the last thing Gregory heard.********************

Dr Bryce was talking to another resident when their front gate flew open. Negan's men walked in dragging an unconscious Gregory by his foot behind them. They wore huge grins on their faces. They dragged Gregory to the centre of the yard and waited. Soon enough, Negan emerged from the manor house...Lucille casually swinging in his hand.

The Hilltop residents crowded around but kept at a safe distance. They were confused as to what is going on. Some of the residents showed open pleasure at Gregory's condition..none more so than David. Negan walked up to Gregory on the ground. He could see that he was unconscious. Dr Bryce appeared at Negan's side.

"What are you doing?" He asked looking at the bat in Negan's hand.

"Nothing….as yet. You need to patch him up though. Make sure he doesn't die."*******************

Ottley and David had just come back from a supply run and was having the giggles when Mickey told them of the smack down Rick put on Titus. Upset that he was being laughed at he loudly announced that he was going for a walk around Alexandria. They bid him well and continued to laugh among themselves. As Titus walked out of the house their escorts Andy, Donald, Lennon, Mitchell and Wesley was waiting.

"It's just me today lackeys!" His voice dripped with sarcasm. The group looked at each other.

"I'll go with him." Wesley volunteered first.

"Me too." Lennon added.

"Awww. You guys are so sweet!" Titus said with a smirk on his face as he walked between them. They followed him.*****************

They have been walking for about twenty minutes when they came upon the Grimes home. Titus hesitated and then he stopped.

"What are you doing?" Lennon asked.

Without answering, he sprinted up the front steps.

"Hey!" Wesley shouted and the ran up after him.

Titus was about to knock on the door when it opened.

When Michonne stepped out, Titus stepped back. She glanced over his shoulder and then glared at him.

"I just wanted to apologize for my behaviour earlier on."

"Really? Was that before or after Rick almost punched your ticket?"

Titus choked back an angry grin. He continued.

"I was rude and out of line and I am sorry."

Michonne said nothing. A few minutes of intensity engulfed the air between them.

"Get off of my porch." Michonne said coldly as she turned her back and went inside.

Titus said nothing as he descended the stairs and continued on.*****************

When Michonne closed the door, Rick put his colt and python back on his waist.

"Did he just apologize?" Rick's baffled face said it all.

"Yeah." Michonne looked outside before she spoke again. "We need to be extremely careful now."

"Agreed."*****************

Negan was genuinely afraid to tell Renee that Gregory was found. When he told her, she silently walked away upstairs to one of the rooms and closed the door. He didn't follow her, giving her the space that she so desperately need. In the medical room, Negan watched as Dr Bryce expertly took out the bullet in Gregory's shoulder, clean the wound and administer some antibiotics.

"Why do you want to patch him up if you're going to kill him anyway?"

"I'm not one to kick a man when he's down. I'd rather do it when he physically ready to take what I have to dish out."

Dr Bryce shook his head.

"This world that we now have to live in is perfect for men like you."

"That really hurt my feelings Dr."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

He then took out a needle and reached for a vial in the counter.

"What's that?"

"Morphine. For the pain."

"He doesn't needs that."

"He's in pain. He needs this."

"Trust me...he hasn't even begun to feel pain."*************

Negan went upstairs to check on Renee but he couldn't find her. He raced downstairs and asked one of the residents if they saw her. They pointed towards the greenhouse. When he looked over, he saw her browsing through the plants. He went over, open the door and went in. He said nothing as he watched her walk agitated. She turned to face him.

"You need to face this Renée. You need to face him."

Suddenly, her face contorted with anger. She walked up and slap him hard.

"Don't you dare tell me what I need!"

She glared at him but he could tell that she was more afraid than angry. He moved towards her. She took a step back.

"I can protect you!"

She laughed in his face.

"Protect me?! I was afraid of him! I still am! You can't protect me from Gregory Negan! He's in here!" She pointed to her head.

"How can you protect me from that?! I was 17... 17! He raped me! I lived with my rapist! That rapist is the father of my child! You have no idea what that was like! How I felt. The things he said to me! The things he did to me! The things he made me do..physically…. sexually. He used objects on me..inside of me! He didn't care that I was carrying his baby! He was all I had so I stayed! For six months I was subjected to unspeakable horrors and I lived in constant fear of him. The almost daily beatings...the verbal abuse. My best friend pulled away from me when I needed her the most. I had no one! I had nowhere to go! I was on my own!"

Renee took a breath to calm herself down.

"I had moved to three different states by the time Jasmine was 12 out of paranoia...out of fear that he will find me one day and want to be in her life..or worst yet take her from me out of spite! You don't know him like I do! The games he play! The way he gets inside your head! I've lived it!

She closed her eyes and swallow hard.

"After all the disgusting things he did to me he just left. He stripped me of my spirit...he took my soul and he left! He used me! He hurt me! He damaged me! I'm damaged goods!"

Renee protectively put her hand over the life that was now growing inside of her. Her voice was now barely over a whisper as she tried to steady her breathing.

"I gave birth to Jasmine in a cold room alone. I have never been so scared in my life. For years I blamed myself for what happened to me. I told myself..if..just if I had fought him a little harder..a little longer then it wouldn't have happened. But if I had done that then my beautiful Jasmine wouldn't have been born and I wouldn't trade her for anything in this life. That night when Jasmine was born, I swore that I will do everything to protect her, from him, be there for her always when she needed me. No child should have to carry the burden of knowing Gregory as their father. Ever!

She cries.

"I want Gregory to suffer like I suffered… I just want him out of my head!"

Renee holds her head and winced through the tears how flowing freely. Negan swiftly scooped her up and sat down on the floor with her. She rest her head in his shoulder and silently cried.********************


	52. Chapter 52

**Chapter 52: "Danger"**

"I'm sorry for hitting you. I shouldn't have done that."

Negan smiled as he looked down at Renée cradled in his arms on the floor. She wasn't looking at him.

"You needed an outlet. Did it help?"

"I said somethings out loud for the first time in years. I felt like my chest was going to explode when I heard the words. It felt good to release though. I kept everything inside so as not to affect Jasmine in anyway. There was a time when she kept asking about her father. I would get so upset. I would cry for days. I thought I wasn't good enough for her."

"Every child wants to know where they come from."

"It would ruin her if she knew where she came from. Eventually, she stopped asking and I was so relieved but I knew she was hurting inside. I was selfish."

"You were protecting her as well as yourself. That's all you have ever done. Besides, you offered to tell her everything about Gregory and she refused."

"Yeah. Only because she had you. If she didn't look up to you as a father I am sure she would have said yes."

"Maybe. You don't give her enough credit. She's smart and balanced. She knows that you didn't tell her about Gregory for a reason."

"She's great. I'm so proud of her."

"You should be. You raised and molded her all by yourself."

Peace filled the greenhouse and they both enjoyed it immensely. Negan interlocked his fingers with hers and fiddled with her ring finger.

"You know a ring is missing from this finger right?"

She looked up at him confused.

"What?"

"Yeah. I should have married you first before getting you pregnant. It's the right thing to do."

"I was pregnant long before we even discussed babies."

"True but still."

"Are you being serious right now?"

"Yeah. If I see a priest...we are getting married."****************************

Titus continued his walk around Alexandria with Lennon and Wesley following closely. They have a specific route that they take each time but today Titus felt like exploring a little more. When Titus passed a corner of one of the designated route. Wesley called out to him.

"Hey! It's this way."

Without looking at them he replied.

"Yeah..I know but I feel like going this way today."

Wesley rushed infront of him, blocking his path.

"Well you can't."

"Why not?"

Lennon interjected now.

"Because that's not our usual route."

Titus turned to Lennon.

"So?"

Titus's eyes bored into Lennon's and he shifted slightly.

"Is something wrong?"

"No."

"Is there something back there that you don't want me to see?"

"No."

"Well..I am going to take a walk down there."

He turned and Wesley was still in his path."

"Are you going to stop me?"

Wesley neither moved or responded.

"Fine. When Negan next visit I will report this to him. I don't know what he will do with this information but I doubt it will be anything good."

Titus turned and began heading back his house. Wesley and Lennon looked at each other in panic mood. Titus had only made six steps when Wesley stopped him.

"Wait!"

Titus turned to them.

"Let's go!"

Titus smiled broadly and started walking back to them. Wesley took the lead and Lennon followed after Titus. They made their way towards the south gate.**********************

Negan left Renée taking a shower upstairs and went to see Dr Bryce. He was in the medical room, checking on Gregory.

"What's the verdict?"

"The fever is down significantly."

"Is he still unconscious?"

"Yes. He was in pretty bad shape when he was brought in. He could have died."

"He should have. Save me the time and energy."

"Are you seriously going to kill him?"

Negan shrugged his shoulders.

"You don't have to do this. We could just lock him up."

Negan turned to the doctor, genuinely confused. Then pulled him outside the room.

"Why are you fighting me on this?" He killed Alexa! He brought me here to kill all of you! What the f*ck?!"

"I know what Gregory is..more than you! I lived with him. But the world is already half dead. Walkers are already killing half of us..we don't need to be killing each other as well! Let's lock him up...indefinitely."

"The decision's already been made."

Negan walks off leaving a shocked Dr Bryce standing outside the door. He went inside to check on Gregory again. After adjusting his medication he tore thin strips of the end of the bed sheet and tied both of Gregory's hands to the posts of the bed as tightly as he can. Then he left, closing the door behind him. Upon hearing the soft click of the door closing the patient slowly and cautiously opened his eyes. ***********************

Jack was on perimeter watch at the south wall when he heard the whistle. He squinted at a cluster of trees and saw Jude, Olivia and Brad signalling to him. He looked around cautiously then waves them to come forward. Jude, Olivia and Brad began to run towards the gate. They were almost to the wall when they heard a voice called out Jack's name.******************

"Hey Jack!"

Recognizing Wesley's voice Jack turned around and froze when he saw that Titus was with him and Lennon following closely. He looked at Lennon and swallowed hard.

"Hey." He said cautiously. "What's this? It's not time for shift change as yet."

Before Wesley could answer, Titus cut in.

"I've never been on this side of Alexandria before. I was just curious."

"Well there's nothing here but trees. Nothing of interest." he said as he glanced over his shoulders.

"Let me be the judge of that." Titus replied as he climbed the steps to the guard tower.*******************

Olivia, Jude and Brad heard the exchange and recognized Titus's voice. They looked at each other panicked, not knowing what to do. It was too late for them to make a dash to their previous hiding place in the trees behind them and their present location is too exposed. They looked around quickly and saw one hiding place.

"There!" Olivia signalled.

They ran as quickly and as quietly as they possibly can without alerting Titus of their presence outside the wall. They had just dived behind some low shrubbery when Titus emerged at the top of the guard tower. They huddled together as tightly as they can and tried to keep as still as possible with the limited space that they had.********************

Wesley, Lennon and Jack held their breath for precious seconds and watched nervously as Titus scanned the whole area.

"See." Jack croaked. "Nothing."

Titus turned and face him.

"Why are you so nervous then."

"Do I look nervous?"

"Yeah."

"Your people attacked my people twice. Of course I am nervous. I get nervous around people I don't like."

"Why?"

"Because I'm afraid of what I might do to them if they tried anything like that again."

"Really." Titus had a smirk on how face

"Really. Accidents happen all the time you know. Someone could accidentally get shot in the head."

"We wouldn't want that to happen...now do we?"

Jack smiled at him.

"No..we don't."

The men stared at each as if there was a secret battle of wills between them. Lennon and Wesley looked on. Suddenly they heard a walker in the distance.****************

Olivia, Jude and Brad couldn't believe their bad luck when they heard the growl behind them. The walker appeared out of nowhere and was heading straight for them. They couldn't move to give away their location but as the walker come precariously closer with each step...it was clear that they can't just lay here and wait to be bit. ******************

When Jack saw the walker, his heart sank. It was heading straight towards Brad and the others. He aimed his rifle to take it out.

"Leave it." Titus advised. Jack turned to him in disbelief.

"Why?"

"It's only one walker."

Jack's nervousness was gradually starting to show with each step the walker took towards the huddled and defenceless group.

"No. One walker bring many. We don't need that kind of hassle right now."

Jack aimed and fired."****************

Brad was about to jump out and dispatch the walker when they heard the single gunshot. The walker fell mere inches away from them. The trio breathed a collective sigh of relief.*******************

Titus looked at Jack, Lennon and Wesley. He smiled at them.

"I think it's time I go home now. This side of Alexandria is dull and boring."

Jack looked into Titus's eyes. His words say one thing but his eyes say another.

"Told you. Nothing here to see."

The men watched as Titus descended the stairs and walked away from them. Lennon and Wesley followed. When they disappeared from sight Jack nervously looked out towards the shrubbery. **********************

The night was warm and the house was quiet but Renee couldn't sleep. Negan's hand was protectively around her, resting gently on her midsection. She turned herself around to look at him. She admired his face in the moonlight that was streaming into their room. Feeling thirsty, she reached for the glass of water on the table, drank it.

She needed more. She shook Negan gentle to wake him up…he didn't respond. Then she remembered Dr Bryce told her that Gregory was tied securely to the bed in the medical room. She slowly slipped out of Negan's protective grasp and walked out into the hallway.

At the top of the stairs she paused, unsure of her actions.

The silence of the house frightened her. She heard no sound..she heard no movement. Relaxing her nerves..Renee quickly ran down the steps and passed the room that Gregory was tied in. The door was closed. She rushed into the kitchen, quickly poured herself a glass of water and gobbled it down.

Placing the glass in the sink, she fled out of the kitchen but upon reaching Gregory's door...she felt a lump rise in her throat. The door was wide open. She opened her mouth to scream when a hand violently grabbed her around her waist while the other clamped hard over her mouth. She felt herself being slightly lifted off the floor and pushed up against the nearest wall. Then that voice whispered in her ear.

"Hi."

Her head was slammed against the wall. She saw black.***********************

Gregory held Renee's limp, unconscious body against him. He knelt down on the floor. Removing his hand from over her mouth, he put it down inside her pants. He slid his hand in her panties and slipped two fingers inside of her.

He felt himself get stiff against her warm body. He kisses her neck softly. ' _You're all mine.'_

Gregory laid Renee on the floor and looked outside. He saw that it was a clear path to the storage house. He smiled to himself as he carefully and quietly picked her up. After struggling for a few seconds because of his wounded shoulder he managed to get Renee over his shoulders.

He made his way to the kitchen and out of the back door. His shoulder screamed for relief but he ignored the pain. He was finally getting what he wanted. The storage house was further than he calculated. Finally, he reached the west wall of the storage house but had to take cover when he saw Neil and Simon was passing by on a patrol. He held his breath and a minute later they were gone. Making sure the coast was clear Gregory opened the storage house door, creeped inside and locked the door behind him.**********************

Still unconscious, Gregory placed Renee to lay on her back on the cold concrete floor. He pulled off her pants and lifted up her top but he couldn't see her body in the dark. He dragged her to one of the windows where the moonlight generously came through. What he saw excited him even more….red panties and full naked breast. He turned her over on her stomach and took off his pants.******************

Renee gradually felt the weight on her. Her head hurt..it was pounding. Realizing that she was lying on her stomach she tried to move. She couldn't. It was the tugging at her panties that jolted her into reality. She tried to cry out but it was no used. The strong rough hands had a firm grip over her mouth.

"Don't struggle!" Gregory said hoarsely.

Renee refuse to comply. She tried to worm her way from under him, her breast bruising against the concrete and at the same time pry his hands over her mouth. Gregory released the full weight of his body on her. She remember this all too well...tears sprung to her eyes. ' _Not again God! Please...not again.'_ Her mind was racing now...her only thought was for her unborn child and the pressure that her body was now enduring.

He cursed under his breath still struggling with her panties. He forced her knees open with his legs securing a comfortable fit. ' _No! This will not happen again! I wouldn't let it!'_ Renee dug her nails hard into the hand covering her mouth. Getting a secure grip, she pulled down while pushing her head up. His hand slip and Renee let out a blood curdling scream.*******************

The scream shocked Negan out of his sleep. He instantly realized that Renee was not in the bed next to him. He grabbed Lucille and ran downstairs.********************

Renee's scream pierced the quiet night forcing Gregory to freeze. Renee whimpered under him. Suddenly, there was loud banging on the door and men shouting outside.

When Negan rushed downstairs, he saw that Gregory's room was empty. He ran outside to see his men banging on storage house door.

"The son of a bitch has Renee inside! He's trying to rape her! . Negan races over to one of the windows and saw Renee struggling against Gregory on the floor.*****************

"You bitch!" Gregory screamed. He flipped her over and hit her hard. Renee hit him back. This momentarily stunned him long enough for Renee to crawl away from him. Recovering quickly, he grabbed her one of her legs and pulled her back towards him.

"No! Please!"

Gregory kneeled over Renee still trying to rip her clothes off. She dragged her nails over the length of his forearm, drawing blood. He flinched at the sight of the long streaks of red on his arm.

Renee screamed as she tried to right back. She tried to crawl away from him to no avail. He is stronger than her...always was. She reached out and scratched his face..deep, drawing blood. He wrapped his large hands around her neck and began to choke her. She struggled to breathe. He released her for a few precious seconds and he raised his hand to slap her. He noticed how Renee blocked her face with one hand and the protective placement of the other hand over her belly. A shocking realization came over him. He roughly pulled her hands away from her face..her eyes confirming the reality. This enraged him further. He stood up, raised his foot and brought it down on her.****************

Negan and his men outside the door tries feverishly to break the door down...Renee's screams as motivation. They feared using their guns as Renee could get caught in the crossfire. *****************

Negan looked in the window just in time to see Gregory's foot descend on Renée.

"No! F*ck!" He raged.**********************

Renee knowing Gregory's pattern instinctively turned and caught Gregory's foot firmly on her side. She cried out as she curled herself in a fetal position trying to protect the life that was being threatened.

Dr Bryce and the other residents watched in horror at the events that unfolded infront of them. One of the women had already ran inside to get the keys. When she came back out Negan's and his men had already pry the door open and rushed inside.******************

Gregory was about to deliver his fifth kick when he was tackled to the floor. Negan rushed to Renee's side. She was barely conscious.

"The baby." She whispered to him before fully passing out.

"Bryce!" Negan screamed but the doctor was already at his side with some other men.

"Take her inside!" Bryce ordered.

As Renee is being carried out, he turned his deadly gaze on the man being held on the floor.

"She's mine!" Gregory screamed at him.

"Take him to the centre of the yard!" Negan ordered. He picked up Lucille and followed as his men dragged Gregory out.*****************

The men put Gregory on the ground and formed a semi circle around him. Negan stood infront of him, his hand gripping Lucille tightly.

Gregory smiled at him.

"She's mine..she'll always be m…"

Negan brought Lucille violently on Gregory's head. When he raised the bat after the first blow, a piece of Gregory's skull was attached to it. Some of the ladies scream at the sight. Negan brought the bat down again..blood flew everywhere. His men stepped back from the carnage. Gregory's limp body fell forward.

Negan adjusted his stance and crushed Gregory's head into the dirt. Negan didn't stop until he realised that there was nothing left to hit. He looked down and saw a headless corpse contorted infront of him. Bone, brains, flesh, everything had disappeared into the ground. He straightened his back and inhaled the midnight air. Lucille was covered in blood. She has eaten..she has had her fill. Negan walked off and went inside. It is done.


	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter 53: "Closure"**

The yard was quiet as the moonlight shined down on Gregory's mangled, headless body on the ground. Negan's men snickered at the reaction of some of the Hilltop residents. One woman had fainted after Lucille's first blow and was being attended to by two other women. The other residents huddled together in different pockets in the yard. No one moved, no one said anything. Some of them, their eyes followed a bloody Negan and Lucille as he walked back to the manor house.

"Time to go back to bed folks." Neil announced.

Slowly, one by one the residents began filing to their respective spaces. When the last of the residents had disbursed Neil and the other men crowded around the lifeless corpse on the ground.

"F*ck me." One of them muttered under his breath. "I have seen Lucille at work before but never like this."

The man wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Gregory put his hands on Renée. The f*cker tried to rape her...here!"

"He chose to do the one thing that Negan doesn't tolerate. That's instant death. He made it worse by going after the one person Negan cares about most. Stupid bastard."

Suddenly, one of the men ran off towards the wall and hurled against it. The others laughed at him.

"Go to bed. We'll clean this shit up in the morning."**********************

Negan watched heartbroken as Dr Bryce tries to treat a hysterical Renee on the bed. He stood there bloody, with a bloody Lucille in hand helpless at the door while two women tries to calm her down. He didn't know what to do. Dr Bryce saw him.

"Get in here!" Bryce barked at him.

He dropped Lucille and walked in.

"I have to sedate her! Get her to focus on you!"

The women moved aside as Negan grabbed Renée's shoulders and forced her back down on the bed.

"Renee! Look at me! It's going to be ok! You need to calm down!"

Renee looked up at him with wet, wild eyes, her hands clawing at him. Negan saw when Dr Bryce approached her with needle in hand. She was about to turn around when Negan grabbed Renée's face towards him and held it there. Seconds later Renee cried out when Dr Bryce injected her. Her breathing slowed down gradually. She let out a weak, inaudible moan and her eyes fluttered closed.

"You did good. I need to examine her now."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Bryce looked at Negan solemnly and knew that Negan meant what he said.

"Ok!"

Dr Bryce began his careful examination of Renée under Negan's fierce eyes. He gingerly lift up Renée's top to expose badly bruised breast. He quickly treated the cuts and bruises and covered her up. He then examined the other bruises about her body. He was shocked at the damage Gregory inflicted on Renée.

There were fingerprints around her neck where Gregory had choked her and bruises on her face where he had slapped her but the worst was yet to be discovered. Dr Bryce lifted the sheet from Renee's lower body and gasped. The whole right side of Renee's body was black and blue and swelling was already in full effect.

He asked one of the ladies to help him to turn Renée on her left side. He was horrified by what he saw. Negan cursed and punched the wall behind him. Her back was badly swollen and Dr Bryce noticed a large pooling of blood. He touched the spot and Renée wheezed in pain. Without looking at Negan he made his diagnosis.

"I think Gregory cracked some of her ribs but I need to cut her to drained the blood. I need to see what I'm dealing with."

Dr Bryce looked at Negan and then to his bloody knuckles.

"I need your help."

"What do you need me to do?"

"This is going to be extremely painful. I need you to hold her hand..to comfort her."

Negan nodded. He walked around the bed, and stooping down he faced her. Dr Bryce sent one of the women upstairs to get pillows to prop Renee up comfortably as he cut her open. After proper placement of the pillows, Negan watched as Bryce prepare his tools.

He then turned his attention back to Renée. Her eyes were still closed, her lips was parted slightly...her breathing shallow and laboured. She was in pain and he couldn't help her. He saw when Dr Bryce walked behind Renée, scalpel in hand.

"You ready?"

Negan took Renée's hand in his. Dr Bryce began. Negan saw what Renée felt when Dr Bryce was cutting her. She let out a long, laboured, pain filled wheeze and slightly squeezed his hand. Negan kissed her temple in an effort to comfort her.

"Stay with me baby..please. It's almost over. Stay with me." he whispered to her.

When Dr Bryce made the second incision..she made no sound as her lips quivered and tears leaked from her closed eyes. As Dr Bryce squeezed to drain the blood from her Renee gave several quick short breaths. He wiped the beads of sweat that was forming on her forehead. Suddenly, she fell silent. Negan eyes widen.

"She's not breathing!"

Dr Bryce's eyes shot up at Negan and saw he was desperately trying to wake her up. Bryce sprinted around the bed and checking on her he breath a sigh of relief.

"She's alive just unconscious."

Negan let out a small feeble cry as he kissed her on the cheeks. Dr Bryce returned to his procedure as Negan comforted an unconscious Renée. ************************

Negan looked at the blood soaked pillow used to prop up Renée for the surgery. It has been an hour since Dr Bryce sewn her up and bandaged her. Dr Bryce ordered one of the ladies to take the pillow outside to be burned. Dawn was now breaking in and Negan was still in his bloody clothes.

"She made it through. She's alive."

"What's the diagnosis?"

"Bruised neck, shoulders and back. Four badly cracked ribs. I didn't see any loose splinters that we should be concerned about."

"And?" Negan asked staring at him blankly.

"Oh. The baby."

Negan swallowed slowly.

"The baby's alive for now."

Negan's frowned at him.

"For now?"

"Renee's body is under a lot of stress, first the attack and then the surgery. Her body is fighting to keep both her and the baby alive. Sometimes it's just too much. Someone could lose."

"What are the chances?"

"What? That both of them will make it? Very slim..at least for the baby. Renee has survived the worst but her womb could reject the baby altogether."

Dr Bryce watched as Negan soak all this information in. The buzzing of flies soon distracted them. They were buzzing around Lucille who was covered in her recent kill.

"I'm going to go clean up."

"Ok..and take that thing with you." He said pointing to Lucille. ******************

Rick pinched the bridge of his nose as Michonne related to him, Glen and Abe what Lennon and Wesley told her about what Titus did.

"This is not good. They almost caught Olivia and the others. Jesus and Aaron is still out there."

"I know. They are safe for now. They will just have stay at the safe house a little longer than anticipate."

"Fine..what about us sending people out there to keep an eye on the Hilltop. They might need us."

"We will find a way." Michonne finally interjected. "We have to."********************

As the cold water washed away the night's activity off his skin, he replayed every scream he heard….everything he saw in the storage house. He saw the horror in her face..her fear was all just too real for him. With his head resting against the wall of the bathroom, he just broke down…. his tears was falling as quickly as the water around him. He couldn't contain it anymore.*********************

The morning sun was finally in full brightness. Not one of the Hilltop residents steps foot out in the courtyard. Each one looked cautiously from the safety of their windows. Neil and the other men were already gathered outside around Gregory's corpse.

"What a mess."

"He deserved it." Neil said. "Let's get this garbage out of here before Negan sees it."

One man took hold of one of Gregory's legs while another man held another. Slowly, they began dragging his body away..leaving behind a trail of bone, brains and hair.***********************

Negan looked through the window as his men drags Gregory's body out through the gate. When out of sight he turned his attention to Renee on the bed. He looked at her breaths, her belly rising and falling slowly and steadily. He put his hand on her tummy.

' _Hang in there little one. We want to meet you so badly.'_ His thoughts instantly went to Jasmine. She doesn't know what happened to her mother..she must be told. He kissed Renee on her forehead and went outside.*****************

It was half hour later when Neil and the other returned. Negan met they as they walked through the gates.

"I need Jasmine brought her. She doesn't know what happened to her mother. She needs to be here."

The men looked at each other.

"What do we tell her as the reason she needs to come to the Hilltop?"

"Just tell her her mother needs her."

Negan headed outside the gate alone.*********************

Jesus and Aaron came upon an abandoned delivery van at the side of the road.

"We'll search for the rest of the day today and then we head back to the safe house."

Jesus nodded in agreement. They search the van but found it was empty.

"I wonder what's going on back home. How everyone is coping with this Negan situation."

"I hope they are doing much better than us at the moment. We haven't met a single person since the group in the forest."

"I'm not giving up. Neither should you."*******************

Negan observed two walkers between the trees a few meters from the north gate of the Hilltop. He approached them and quickly dispatched them. He bent down over one of them and cut off a finger.********************

"They are hiding something! I could feel it."

"Jesus Christ Titus! Just stop!" Mickey shouted at him.

"You should have seen how they reacted to me being at the south gate! They are up to something!"

"I'm done!" Mickey walked out to the porch.

He looked around at the residents moving around, going about their business. He got a few angry stares but has gotten accustomed to it. He saw Carl and three others waiting patiently for them to move so that can follow them. He shook his head at Titus's accusation. Rick would never jeopardize the welfare of his people over some silly misguided notion. He wouldn't dare.**********************

It was late evening. Negan have been keeping watch over Renee for hours, fiddling with a small object between his fingers. Pulling his chair closer to her, he bent over her, taking the her hand in his.

"I almost died last night. You almost killed me...with your screams, with your pleads locked in that storage house. When I saw you trapped in there with him I smelt your fear. I get it now. You were in a living nightmare...in your own mind. You were right. I couldn't help you. No one can. I killed Gregory not only as punishment for ever trying to hurt you again but to free you from your mental nightmare. You don't have to be afraid or worry anymore. That chapter of your life is now closed and we are about to open a new one...you, me, Jasmine and this baby. I want you to fight..fight for us, fight for this baby, fight like the way you did Gregory, fight for the right to have closure on that part of your life. I love you Renee Young, like I have no other. You are the only woman for me. I am here, please don't slip away from me. Please don't leave me!"

He kissed the palm of her hand..gently..softly...lovingly.


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter 54: "Bait"**

The night had quietly crept in and Negan didn't realized that he had fallen asleep until he heard Jasmine's voice.

"Where is she? Is she ok?"

Someone answered her inaudibly.

"I want to see her!" Jasmine demanded.

Negan got up from his seat as the door opened and Dr Bryce entered followed by Jasmine and Trent. The table lamp was on, shining light on Renée's bruised face. The looked on Jasmine's face broken Negan's heart into a million pieces.

"Mom?" She whispered as she slowly walked up to the bed. She saw the bruises on her mother's face and neck and covered her mouth in disbelief. She turned to Negan.

"What happened?"

Negan nodded to Dr Bryce and he and Trent left the room. When the door closed quietly behind them, he gestured at a chair for Jasmine to have a seat. She did so anxiously.

"Renee was attacked."

"Attacked? I don't understand."

Jasmine's frightened eyes searched his.

"A resident here at the Hilltop attacked her last night."

"Was he trying to kill her?"

"No. He was trying to rape her."

"Rape?! Why?"

"The man was obsessed with Renée."

Jasmine's face registered confusion.

"Where is he?"

"Dead. I killed him."

"With Lucille?"

"Yes."

There was a moment of pause between the two.

"Good."

Jasmine pulled her chair up by her mother's bedside. Negan did the same. She held her mother's hand.

"How badly did he hurt her?"

"Bruises on her neck and face. Four cracked ribs."

"Four!" Jasmine cries. "Oh mom...I'm so sorry!"

Negan pulled Jasmine in a fatherly embrace as she cries. After a few minutes, Jasmine stopped crying.

"Thank you for looking after her."

"You don't have to thank me. Renee means the world to me. Both of you."

He paused as he deliberated on how to tell her the other news.

"There is something else I need to tell you."

He pulled away and looked Jasmine in the eye.

"This is something Renee and I should be telling you together but under the given circumstances you could use some good news. Well I hope you will be happy for us."

Jasmine looked at Negan curiously.

"Renee is pregnant...two months" He said cautiously.

Jasmine's eyes narrowed as she looked at him, her mother then back at him again. A smile appeared on her lips. Negan breathed a sigh of relief inside.

"I'm going to be a big sister?"

"Yes."

"You are going to be a first time father."

Negan smiled with pride.

"Is the baby ok?"

"For now...yes."

She hugged him

"I am so happy for you!"**********************

 _ **Four days later.**_

No one have been able to sneak out of Alexandria for the past four days. Other than official supply runs, Titus has been keeping a close eye on the movements of the Alexandrians, especially on Rick and the other council members. He no longer goes out on supply runs like the others.

Instead, he has chosen to patrol the full grounds of the community….including the south gate. Because of this new development Rick didn't want to take the chance of sending someone out and risk them getting caught. So for now, their plans are at a standstill. Abe and Daryl were not pleased and vigorously voice such.

' _This is bullshit!' Abe said with Sasha rubbing his chest to calm him down._

' _I know how you feel. I don't like this either but for now this is how it's going to be. This is temporary..trust me.'_

' _I do trust you Rick. Don't ever doubt that.'_

 _Abe was much calmer now thanks to Sasha's antics as well as putting their daughter in his arms._

' _It's bad enough that they live here but them having full access to everywhere in the community can seriously cripple us!_

' _This son of a bitch is gunning for Michonne! We can't have that! Who next will he be after? Rosita? Sasha? Maggie? Carol?'_

' _Don't worry Daryl. That's been taken care of. He knows that if he comes after any one of our wives or anyone in Alexandria as a matter of fact all bets are off.'_

' _The only reason he's doing this...asserting his authority on us is because that's all he has. There is nothing more he can do. He's trying to rattle us. We can't let him.'_

 _Rosita's point resonated well with everyone. It was Maggie's turn to voice her concerns._

' _We still have people out there. Jesus and Aaron. What about the Hilltop? How will we know if they need help?'_

'Jesus and Aaron _are smart. They will find a way to contact us. We will find a way to help the Hilltop as well.' Rick said to reassure her._

' _But what we need to do is be extra vigilant. We know that they are watching us closely...especially Titus. They want to make our life difficult so what we need to do is return the favour...ten folds. They must be so uncomfortable here that they will beg Negan to go home..and send new people.'_

 _Daryl's interest was peaked._

' _What do you have in mind?'_

 _Rick grinned.*********************_

Titus and Mickey was on an evening patrol with Wesley, Jude and Marion when suddenly Rick, Abe and Daryl walked up to them.

"There have been a few complaints from residents."

Titus and Mickey looked at each other confused.

"What complaints?"

Rick and Daryl push Titus and Mickey up against the wall of one of the houses.

"Hands up on the wall and spread your legs!"

Rick barked at em.

"What the f*ck is this?!" Titus asked enraged.

"As a former sheriff this is what we like to call a Stop and Search. I investigate suspicious activities reported by my citizens."

Rick stepped back while Abe stepped forward.

"You heard him. Hands up and spread your legs!"

Titus and Mickey grudgingly agreed and both Daryl and Abe roughly searched them.

"We didn't do anything!" Titus protested as Mickey glared at him angrily.

"I didn't say you did anything. I am just investigating suspicious activities and threats."

"This is bullshit and you know it!"

"Shut up!" Mickey screamed at Titus.

"I am just being the leader you want me to be. You wanted me to be active..I am. You wanted me to be visible..I am."

Titus angrily grinded his teeth. After ten minutes of an extensive body search, Rick nodded and Abe and Daryl stepped back.

"We didn't find anything."

"Shocking.." Titus murmured under his breath.

"What did you say?" Daryl asked.

Mickey's eyes widen at Titus.

"Nothing." He answered.

Titus and Mickey slowly turned around to face them. The five men looked at each other.

"You are free to leave until next time. Happy patrolling."

Rick, Abe and Daryl walked off, grins on their faces. Wesley, Jude and Marion looked at Titus and Mickey smiling. Mickey turned to Titus.

"You f*cking idiot."****************

It has been four days since Renée's attack. She only woke once and because of the pain she was given a mild sedative so that Dr Bryce can check on her wound and change her bandages. Negan and Jasmine haven't left her side. From his other examination, it appears that the baby was also in good form. That was two days ago. It was now evening. Renee slowly opened her eyes. All she felt in her body was pain. She looked around the room and saw Jasmine was asleep on the bed next to her. She looked to the other side.. Negan was looking at her. He bent over and kisses her gently on the forehead.

"Hey.." He said softly. "How are you feeling?"

Renee smiled weakly. It's obvious she was in tremendous pain.

"Don't try to speak."

Her hand slowly slid down over her stomach and Negan put his hand over hers.

"The baby is good. You did good.."

Renee nodded. Negan came closer to Renée's ears, his cheek against her cheek and whispered to her.

"I took care of him. Gregory is dead." He felt Renee's warm tears as it seeped between their cheeks. "It's just the four of us now. Everything is going to be alright. You don't have to be afraid anymore.."

A small sob escaped Renee's lips as she placed her arm around his neck acknowledging his words of comfort. Negan kisses her gently on the lips and when they pulled apart Jasmine was looking at them.

"Mom..I'm sorry for what happened to you. That man will not hurt you ever again. You are safe. The baby is safe too.

Renee looked at Negan questioningly.

"I told her that you were attacked and I killed the man who did it. I also told her about the baby too."

Just then Dr Bryce came into the room.

"You are awake. That's good. Other than the pain..how are you?"

"Good." She said hoarsely.

"Ok..I need to check your bandages again and check on the baby." Negan and Jasmine stepped back so the doctor can work.*******************

Mickey walked into their house furiously as Titus followed close behind. David and Ottley picked up on the tension.

"Are you seriously pissed off at me?"

"You caused this!" Mickey said accusingly.

"I didn't do anything!"

"What's going on?" David asked the warring duo.

"We were searched!"

"Searched?"

"Yeah. Thrown up against a wall..spread eagled and searched!" Mickey said looking Titus.

"He had no right to do that!"

That's when Mickey punched Titus hard and they started fighting.****************

Wesley, Jude and Marion was outside the house and heard when the argument started. Suddenly they heard a crash and the scuffle of men. They sat back and relaxed.

It took David and Ottley ten minutes to divide and keep apart the screaming men from each other.

"F*ck it! I will take this to Negan!" Titus raged at Mickey. Mickey laughed at him.

"Really?! You stupid f*ck! You tell him! Tell him you threatened Rick's wife and the rest of Alexandria don't feel safe with us here. We were doing just fine..everything was good until you f*cked it up!"

Mickey shook his head.

"You're f*cking with Negan's deal! Wait till Rick tells his side of the story and see what happens. Negan has a wife. You think anyone would be breathing right now if they had threatened her? Negan doesn't want these people to be uncomfortable...unhappy. If they are unhappy, he doesn't get what he wants!"

Mickey walked up to Titus.

"You f*ck this up and Lucille will f*ck with you. You are not going to get me killed!"

He stormed out of the house.*********************

Dr Bryce was just finishing up his examination.

"All appears to be well.

"I want to get up."

Bryce refused.

"Please. My back hurts."

"You have four cracked ribs. It's suppose to hurt."

"Just for a minute. Just to stretch my legs."

Dr Bryce was hesitant..

"Ok. For one minute. Then its bed rest again."

He watched with concern as Negan and Jasmine began helping her to her feet. She had difficulty breathing because of her cracked ribs.

"I can't." The pain was too much for her. Tears flooded her eyes. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"It's ok. You just need some time." Dr Bryce assured her.*********************

Over the next couple days, David, Ottley, Titus and Mickey have been stopped and searched by Rick and the other council members several times in the full view of the residents. It was embarrassing. David, Ottley and Mickey now refuse to leave the house. Titus became angry.

"I can't believe this! You are letting these people control what we do."

"I just don't feel like getting searched today. Is that ok with you?" Ottley said in frustration.

Mickey and David looked at Titus in unison. He walked out.

 _Later that night….._

Carl and Enid was watching the twins over at Enid's house, so Rick and Michonne had the house to themselves. Michonne was sitting on the kitchen counter as Rick's tongue hungrily snaked inside Michonne's mouth. Both of their tops were strewn across the kitchen floor. She struggled to unbutton his jeans as Rick pressed his budge between her legs.

"Hmmmm." Michonne moaned.

Rick pulled his lips away from hers..frustrating her.

"Lift your hips!"

Rick grunted and Michonne quickly obeyed. In one desperate swoop, Rick pulled off her pants and underwear. Pushing her back to lie on the counter, Rick raised up her legs, spreading them wide and buried his face in her soft, wet center. Michonne let out a loud gasped as she ran her fingers through his curls.

Resting her heels on his shoulders, Michonne grabbed the edge of the counter and pulled herself down as Rick pushed his head and tongue up. The orgasm ripped through her body as Rick sucked her dry. She tried to close her legs but Rick held her thighs and kept them open.

"Bastard." Michonne cried from her lips.

Rick looked up at her between her legs, grinning. As he suckled her clit, he swiftly dropped his pants to the floor. He pulled Michonne off the counter and gently lowered her on his thick, stiff cock. Michonne nibbled Rick neck gently as she grind down in him.

Rick gasped. He walked on trembling legs to the sofa and sat down. Michonne moved her hips in a circle motion as Rick licked the sweat between her breast. Michonne pulled Rick on the floor infront of the sofa. He pumped into Michonne, slow and steady

"F*ck me hard!" Michonne breathe as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Shit!" Rick groaned into her neck. Michonne held on tight as both their hips found a steady, sensual rhythm. After a few minutes their bodies trembled in unison, his cock covered deep in her juices as his seeds filled her up. They both giggled on the floor as they gazed into each other eyes. Michonne copper his face.

"I love you." She whispered.

"I love you too."*******************

Rick and Michonne was on the floor basking in the amazing session they just had when they heard Rick's name being called out angrily in the streets of Alexandria.

"Rick!"

Michonne grabbed her underwear and Rick's shirt to put on while Rick grabbed his jeans.

"Rick!

Bareback, Rick rushed outside to see an enraged Titus infront of his house. The other residents was outside looking on..some of them armed. Ottley , David and Mickey was trying to reason with Titus but he wasn't having none of it. Abe, Daryl and Glen had their guns trained on them.

Rick cautiously walked down to steps to meet Titus.

"Who do you think you are?! Titus shouted at Rick. "You work for us! You still think you're in charge. That's your problem!'

Rick looked around at the crowd that was now gathered.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Ottley stepped between Rick and Titus.

"We don't want no trouble Rick. We will take him home now."

Ottley approached Titus when he suddenly sidestepped him and rushed Rick.***************

Michonne was on the porch watching the scene unfolding. She saw Titus charging for Rick. She held the red hamdle machete in her hand tightly as she screamed Rick's name.**************

"Rick!"

Rick saw when Titus charged at him

"Titus don't!" Ottley shouted but it was too late.

Rick and Titus tumbled to the ground. Michonne held up her hand to Abe and the others. She knew that this had to be resolved between Rick and Titus..no interference. Titus landed a few punches on Rick before he flipped him over and pummel Titus mercilessly. Ottley, Mickey and David watched helplessly. They couldn't intervene even if they wanted to. From the hammering Rick was giving Titus he would be beaten to death. They looked to Michonne for help. Michonne slowly saw the rage building up in Rick with every blow he landed. She can't let this Rick be unleashed...she refused to lose Rick to this son of a bitch. She nodded to Abe and Glen who dragged Rick off of Titus. As a bloody Titus coughed on the ground Rick walked up to Michonne. Then suddenly, without warning Titus sprang to his feet and charged at Rick again.

"What the hell?!" Glen said stunned but it was too late.

Rick grabbed the machete out of Michonne's hand and turned around just in time to bring the sharp blade dead in the middle of Titus's head. He collapsed on his knees infront of Rick. Rick put his foot square on Titus's chest and pushed him back to the ground..freeing the machete from his skull.


	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter 55: "Haunted"**

Everyone stood there in silence. Mickey, Ottley and David looked at a bareback Rick holding the bloody machete in his hand. They turned around to see Abe, Glen and other Alexandrians with their guns trained on the them. Rick walked around Titus's body and up to them. David went into defence mode.

"We had nothing to do with this! He didn't speak for the rest of us! Titus was on his own!"

Rick said nothing as he looked each man in the eye. He looked back at the body and then at them again.

"You have two choices…...either you can bury him now or bury him in the morning." Rick's voice was low and threatening. "What will it be?"

Mickey, Ottley and David looked at each other and then at Rick...none volunteering to speak for the group. Rick fiddled with the machete in his hand.

"I'm waiting."

Both Ottley and David looked at Mickey...silently volunteering him as their official leader. He swallowed hard.

"We'll bury him now. There's no need to drag out this unfortunate incident."

"Good."

Rick looked at Abe and Glen, nodded and proceeded to walk back to his porch where Michonne was waiting for him.

"Pick up your friend!" Glen commanded.

They did so quickly and followed Glen and Abe outside the walls. Abe pointed to a spot and they began digging.*****************

The sun rose on the three men in the porch of their house. After what transpired last night, they couldn't sleep. They are now at Rick's mercy and quite frankly they don't blame him. What Titus did was inexcusable. What was he trying to prove? He attacked Rick infront of everyone! They watched as the other residents passed their house going about their business as if nothing happened.

A few eyes stared at them when they passed. Well in their mind..nothing probably did after all Titus was not one of them. Rick could practically walk up to them right now and hack them to death and they wouldn't even cast a second glance in their direction what they are most worried about is Negan. How badly was his deal with Rick affected by Titus's actions. One things for sure… Negan must be told.

"One of us has to tell Negan."

"I volunteer Mickey."

"What the f*ck! Why me?"

"Because you know all the details of what lead up to this. Just be sure to tell him that none of us had any part in what Titus did. As a matter of fact...stress on it. I am not going to be punished for that dead asshole."

The men paused to contemplate what Negan's reaction will be.

"You think he's gonna be pissed?"

Mickey turned to David incredulously..

"Wouldn't you?"

"You think Negan's gonna kill one of Rick's people as payback?"

"No way. Rick was justified in what he did. When Negan hears what happened he knows that he would have done worst if someone came at Renee like Titus did. We were all there. He wouldn't have let that shit slid like that. But it does give Rick some leverage to renegotiate their deal. Whether Negan allows that will all depend on the mood he's in."

"I'm sorry man but I'd hate to be you right now."

Mickey shook his head at Ottley and David and headed over to Rick's house.*****************

The bruises on Renée's face and breast have been healing nicely and all the pain from these areas have almost fully disappeared. However, the pain in her ribs was still ever present and a constant reminder of her ordeal.

Negan watched as Dr Bryce carefully unwrapped the bandages. He frowned at the large black bruise around the incision that was made to drain the blood from her. Dr Bryce needed to check her breathing.

"Inhale."

Renee did but at the same time had to exhale quickly. It was still too painful. Her breathing had improved significantly but she still had a long way to go. She was now allowed to go outside for half an hour everyday to breathe fresh air into her lungs. When Dr Bryce was finished he gave Renee the all clear. Negan help her off the bed and they headed outside.****************

Michonne opened her front door to a cautious Mickey. She gave him the once over and called Rick. He stepped back to the end of the porch, near the steps. He don't know what kind of mood Rick is in and he may need to make a hasty retreat. Rick came to the door and realizing that Mickey was alone closed the door behind him. Mickey heard a baby cry behind Rick but he wasn't going to let that distract him. Rick stared at him intently.

"I need to report this to Negan...what happened last night."

Rick remain silent.

"I will tell exactly what happened here..I will explained to him what Titus did."

"I don't care what you tell Negan. We all know what happened here. I have nothing to hide."

Mickey nodded.

"David and Ottley will remain here to keep the deal between the communities standing. I'll just be needing a few supplies for my trip."

"You get nothing. Eat when you reach your destination."*********************

Negan gingerly lowered Renee on a chair in the porch at the manor house. Trent and Jasmine saw her and walked over to them.

"You look much better mom."

Renee smiled. Trent nodded at her in acknowledgement.

"You haven't gone back home yet."

Are you kidding me? This is my home until we all are ready to go back home..all five of us."

Renee saw the confusion in Trent's face.

"Mom's pregnant." Jasmine clarified.

His eyes immediately shot up at Negan and he quickly turned away.*****************

Rick, Abe, Glen and Daryl watched as Mickey bid farewell to his comrades and left Alexandria. They looked at each other and then over at Ottley and David. They walked inside when they saw Rick and company looking at them. As Rick and the other walked back to the house they began making plans again for secret outings.

"They're scared shitless to do any patrols. Don't wanna be searched." Abe said with pride.

"This is our chance to do what we can do. We don't know how long he will be gone for and I have a strong feeling that Negan will be coming back with him."

The men reached Abe's house as Sasha was leaving. She had Robyn in her arms.

"I'm taking Robyn for a play date with Judith, Elsa and Caleb at Michonne's house."

Abe kissed his wife and daughter as they left the house

"So what's the play Rick?"***************

 _ **Two days later.**_

Mickey made his journey to the sanctuary and learned from Marcus that Negan was at the Hilltop and that he have been there for awhile now. Marcus explained to him that on Negan and Renée's visit, Renée was attacked and seriously injured by Gregory.

When he heard the injuries that Renee sustained and what happened to Gregory immediately after he cringed. It only strengthened Rick's position in what he did to Titus. Mickey waited patiently as the gates at the Hilltop slowly opened. He drove in. After greeting a few of his colleagues he asked to see Negan. *******************

"Rick killed one of my men?"

He stood in front of Negan feeling like a school boy in front of his teacher waiting for a scolding for not doing his homework.

"Yes but he was justified. Titus attacked him in full view of everyone. They fought and Rick beat him and left him on the ground. Titus rushed to attack him again and that's when Rick killed him."

Negan said nothing for a few minutes.

"What are you going to do?" Mickey asked timidly.

"Pay our friend a little visit."***************

Ottley and David have refused to do any patrols so as not to get searched, over the past two days, Rick have been busy making arrangements. The south gate was now free from prying eyes in the meantime but Rick still operated carefully just to be safe. He sent scouts to Eugene and the others at the ammo factory to update them on the latest developments.

Eugene sent word that since the threat of Negan was still a very real factor they have not gone out since to search for more materials to make more ammo but assured Rick that at present, there was more than enough ammo available should they need it. Scouts was also sent to the Hilltop who quickly reported that Negan was there with his wife whom they still have not identified as yet and his daughter.

They also informed Rick that Negan's wife was attacked and seriously injured by Gregory whom Negan killed that very night. Maggie dispatched official patrols for Ottley and David's benefit while Rick and Michonne took care of the unofficial information gathering patrols. Rosita and Sasha resumed their own personal training in the privacy of their homes.

Now after so many weeks they have finally been able to hold their first council meeting. It was held informally as a dinner at Daryl's house. They discuss all the information that they have received so far.

"So he does have a wife."

"Yeah. Candice said that from where she and Michael was hiding they overheard two of Negan's men talking."

"And Gregory attacked her? Why?"

"From what they overheard Gregory was obsessed with her. He tried to rape her. She fought back although it didn't help. He beat her up really badly in the process...bruises all over face and body. He cracked four of her ribs. Negan did not take too kindly to what he did. He beat Gregory to death in the middle of the courtyard in front of everyone. Some of his own men puked when he was done."

Everyone fell silent at the table and continued eating as they soaked in the information that was just shared.

"So what now? You think Negan will kill one of us for killing one of his men?" Sasha asked concerned

Rick shook his head.

"Negan may be an asshole but we both have one thing in common...we will kill to protect our family."

Maggie objected to the comparison Rick made of himself to Negan.

"You two are nothing alike!"

"We are when it comes to our family."

"How do we know that Mickey will tell Negan the truth about what happened?"

"He will. He knows that Negan wants this arrangement to work and Titus jeopardize that. He neither Ottley or David wants to be associated with what happened. Even if they were part of it they will never admit to that to anyone."

Rosita laughed.

"You think he'll kill one of them?"

Abe chuckled.

"Maybe. They represented him...all four of them. They let one of their own run loose. He could kill one of them just to set an example."

"Clearly he isn't above hurting one of his own. Did you see that guy's face? The one that shot Rick and Michonne?"

"Yeah...the guy looked scared. Probably thought Negan was going to kill him."

"So what else do we have or know so far?" Rick asked for more intense discussion.

"Well, besides knowing that Negan having a wife and a daughter means that he has as much to lose as we do, we have ammo and our people are ready to fight."

"The Hilltop is still under Negan's control but it doesn't appear that they are being treated badly."

"We know where Negan's home base is."

"But we don't know where his other camp is. That's a problem."

"No..it's not. We just need time. Once we do and Jesus finds more people, we free the Hilltop, gather the troops and strike Negan. We will have enough people. We just need to keep at it."

Abe's confidence resonated well with the others at the table. There was a few minutes of lips smacking over the meal that the ladies had prepared..the loudest being Abe and Daryl. Rosita and Sasha looked at their husbands in total embarrassment even though they were amongst family. Rosita began cursing Daryl in Spanish to the quiet giggles of Maggie, Glen and Carol. Daryl winked at her and licked his fingers….the Spanish rolled off of Rosita's tongue even faster.

"Jesus Christ Abe! People would swear I don't feed you!"

Abe puffed out his chest and let rip a loud belch.

"Abe!" Sasha shouted as she punched his arm.

He looked at his wife with a goofy grin on his face which forced Sasha and everyone at the table to erupt simultaneously into laughter. All except Michonne. Rick noticed that she was quiet throughout the whole dinner, occasionally taking a bite of her food and slowly chewing it. He placed one hand on her knees and she looked up at him.

"Until then there's no other way around it...to get from under him...is there?" She said softly.. "Atleast safely and cleanly."

Rick looked at the others and then at her. He said nothing. The others looked at her..knowing that despite all their planning, best intentions and efforts the fact remains that without increasing their numbers and the location of the other camp..there is nothing that they can do...Alexandria belongs to Negan. Maggie reached out and held Michonne's hand.

"We will get through this...all of us."

Michonne nodded as Maggie hugged her. When they pulled apart, Michonne's eyes was moist. The others looked at her, smiling knowing that she was frustrated with their situation. But she felt embarrassed at ruining their dinner.

"Excuse me." She said hoarsely as she fled from the table.

Rick pursued her as the others looked on.*****************

By the time Rick caught up with Michonne, she had already passed Abe's and Sasha's house heading home. Rick gently took hold of her hand.

"Talk to me please." Rick said softly to her. She faced him.

"I ruined dinner. Tell everyone I'm sorry."

"They understand. Talk to me Michy.."

Michonne wipes the tears from her eyes.

"It's nothing. Just abit emotional tonight."

From the way Rick was looking at her, she knew he didn't believe her.

"I'm ok. I promise."

Michonne glanced over Rick's shoulder and saw the others was standing up, clearing away the dinner table.

"Oh God! They're leaving. This is my fault!"

"I'll be right back..ok."

Michonne watched as Rick raced back to Daryl's house. Tears flooded her eyes once more.*******************

"Hey guys..I'm sorry."

"Is Michonne ok?"

"Yeah. This Negan business is really getting to her now. She sends her apologies."

Sasha, Maggie, Carol and Rosita hugged Rick and send their love with him to Michonne. Daryl, Glen and Abe greeted Rick as well as then he rushed home.

When Rick walked into his home it was in complete darkness. He saw Michonne's shoes placed neatly in the corner. He quickly walked upstairs and peeped into Carl's room. There, he saw Enid wrapped safely in Carl's arms, baby monitor close by and they were fast asleep. As he approached his bedroom, he was met with the quiet sobbing of his wife. When his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness coupled with the flicker of moonlight that sliced through slightly pulled curtains, he saw a sight that shattered him into a million pieces. He saw his wife on her knees looking at their three youngest children on the bed. They were oblivious of their mother's presence as they rested peaceful as she prayed for their protection between tears.

"Please God! I don't want to fail to protect my babies like I failed to protect Andre! Oh God! I'm so scared! How can I protect them like this?! I don't know what to do! We've tried everything! I didn't bring them into this world to live like this..under this threat hanging over us now. I have failed as a mother to protect my children from Negan. He owns us! He owns them! Their life is now in his hands!"

Michonne sobbed as she placed her hands on her sleeping broad. Her voice now went down to a choking whisper.

"I'm so tired! Please just give me the strength to keep fighting for them! I'll do anything! I swear! Just help me! Please!"

Michonne wrapped her arms around herself and cries as she rocks herself. Rick stood there watching his wife. She was completely broken. He knew that losing Andre was one of the most painful things she have ever experienced but he didn't realized that it haunted her so strongly till this day. She is an excellent wife and mother who have always been able to overcome every threat that has ever comes her way until now. To her, Negan is a threat that seems so insurmountable that it's tearing her apart. Rick took off his shoes at the door and walked in quietly. He knelt down behind her and was about to wrapped his hands around her when Michonne turned around and faced him.

"Rick!" She cries out as she grabbed hold of his shirt collar and buried her face into his warm chest. "I can't feel that way again when Andre was taken from me! I will just die!"

She was crying louder now and the twins began to stir in their sleep. Dominic let out a small cry. Rick quickly rose to his feet, pulling an inconsolable Michonne with him. As she collapsed against him he swept her up in his arms. Michonne put her arms around him, burying her wet face in his neck. He carried her out and sat down in the corridor outside their bedroom. Michonne was still crying as he cradled her firmly in his arms against his chest.

"Rick! He could kill us all if he wanted to! We are at his mercy! I can't live like this!"

Rick pulled Michonne close and rocked her gently. She cries into him.

"It's gonna be ok!" He whispered gently in her ear. "Nothing will happen to the children. I will die first before I let that happen."

"Rick!"

"Listen to me!" He stopped rocking her and held her tightly against him. He could feel the racing of her heart and waited for it calm down and rhythmically beat in tune with his. "What happened to Andre will never repeat itself! You are not alone anymore and you never will be again! Do you hear me?!"

"Yes!"

"Do you believe me?!"

"Yes!"

"Do you trust me?!"

"Yes!"

"Then trust me when I tell you we will find a way out of this!"

"Ok!"

"Say it again!"

"Ok!"

Rick resumed to rocking Michonne again, slow and steady now. The house was quiet now. He looked up and saw Carl and Enid looking at them on the floor. He didn't know how long they have been standing there but from the look on their faces...they were worried. He nodded to them that Michonne was ok. They went back to bed.******************

Ten minutes passed...

"Mich?"

Michonne was fast asleep.


	56. Chapter 56

**Chapter 56: "Wait and See"**

Renee was having a restless night. She tossed and turned in the bed, occasionally wiping beads of sweat off her forehead. Besides the night being so humid, she was having abdominal pain and discomfort. She got out of bed gingerly, holding her breath slightly so as not to feel any pain when she moved. That's when she felt moisture between her legs. Quickly, she headed to the bathroom and closing the door, she turned on the light. Long red streaks on her inner thighs greeted her. Renee closed her eyes and placed her hand over her tummy. She knew what was happening.**************

When Negan realised that he was alone on the bed he immediately sat up. The bathroom door was closed but the light was still on. He heard no sound, no movement. He slipped off the bed and knocked on the door.

"Renee?"

There was no response. He knocked harder this time and the door pushed forward spilling the light into the room. She wasn't there. He was now worried. With haste, he went downstairs and saw the light in the medical room was on. Quietly, he made his way towards the room. The door was slightly opened and he looked in. He saw Dr Bryce slowly moving the sonogram machine over Renee's belly as he shook his head and mumbled something inaudibly.

"Are you sure?" Negan heard Renee asked Dr Bryce quietly...her voice trembling slightly.

"We both are. You know what this is...what's happening. I am surprised it took this long."

There was a pause.

"I need to do a physical examination."

"I know."

Renee put up her feet on the stirrups infront of the doctor.

After a quick minute of examining her, Negan heard Renee began sobbing quietly.

"He's going to be so disappointed. This is my fault!"

Before Dr Bryce could respond, Negan pushed the door opened and looked at Renée who turned her face away from him. Dr Bryce looked at Negan.

"I'm sorry."***************

After Renee got cleaned up Dr Bryce stepped out of the room to give her and Negan space to talk. Although she wasn't looking at him, Negan could see the tear stains on her cheek so he knew she was crying. She was breathing slowly from the still tremendous pain in her ribs. Negan sat infront of her, positioning her knees between his. He clasped her hands in his for comfort for the both of them. They haven't spoken a word for at least ten minutes since they have been alone. The silence was deafening and it unnerved Negan.

"Renee…"

Negan's voice was the gentlest whisper and it caused Renee to burst into flooding tears. He interlocked his fingers into hers and kissed the back of her hands softly.

"I know you are hurting. We both are. I'm so sorry!"

Renee painfully sucked air into her lungs as she tried to control her crying.

"I can't say I'm surprised this happened." Renee said, shaking her head. "But I still had hope!" She cried. "I was hoping that by some miracle the baby would survive. I wanted this...I wanted this for you! I'm the one who should be saying sorry!"

"This isn't your fault." He swallowed hard. "Maybe it was just not meant to be."

Renee glared at him.

"How could you say that?!"

"I am not saying that I didn't want a baby! We had only just talked at first and had just settled on having a baby when we found out you were already pregnant."

"So what are you saying then? That this is some kind of a blessing in disguise kind of shit?!"

"No! God no! Our baby was practically beaten out of you. That's in no way a blessing!"

Negan sat on the bed and pulled her to lean in on him as gently as he can so Renée can cry on him. The correct meaning of his words were being lost in this grief. He was hurting so badly inside. He was also angry...angry that he didn't kill Gregory sooner…angry that he is now dead because he can't get to kill him over and over again. Gregory cost them the life of their unborn child.*************

Leaning in on Negan, Renee's ribs hurt so bad but not as badly as the pain she is feeling right now. She had once done a short course on how to counsel mothers at the hospital who have gone through a miscarriage but had never fully understood until now. It hurts...not so much physically, but emotionally and mentally. She was a wreck. After a couple of minutes Negan asked her to get some rest while he spoke to Dr Bryce. After ensuring that she was resting comfortably he closed the door behind him.******************

Negan met the doctor in the darkness in the porch of the manor house.

" I thought everything was alright! What the hell happened?"

"The trauma of her attack was just too much. Her body is now slowly rejecting the fetus."

"What do you mean by slowly?"

"I am going to be honest with you to my own detriment and say something that you may not want to hear. I was totally surprised that the fetus even survived the attack. Renee took a severe beating. She may have initial stopped Gregory from stomping on her tummy but her overall trauma...the choking, the punching, Gregory's weight on her, him kicking her…. all that contributed to her overall bodily stress. Her body was essentially trying to heal her as well as keep the baby alive and as I told you before if one of them has to die, the baby would be the most logical choice. It's not an outright miscarriage so she could be bleeding for a couple of days depending on how heavy the flow is."

"Couple days?"

"A miscarriage can last between one day and three weeks depending on a number of factors. If she had miscarried soon after the assault, then it would have been quick and probably very painful but because her body held on to the pregnancy for more than a week after, the baby was still growing. Her body just couldn't hold on or take the stress any longer. The pregnancy wasn't viable anymore...that's why her body is only now expelling it."

Negan stared at the doctor, trying to process all that he was just told. He understood essentially that their baby never had a proper chance at survival because of what happened to the mother. He began to wonder all the ' _what if the baby had survived_ ' scenarios in his mind. ' _Was the baby a boy or a girl?' 'Who would he or she look like?' 'Him?' 'Renee?' 'Or a combination of both?'_ He was angry that he was robbed of the answers to these questions. Very angry.

"I will monitor her during the day and see what happens but I don't expect anything eventful to occur."

Negan said nothing.****************

It was the wee hours in the morning and although it was still dark, traces of the sun's ray could be seen trying to come through.

"Carl?"

"Hmmm."

"You think Michonne's going to be alright?"

"Yeah. Dad got this."

Enid turned around and faced Carl who gave her a peck on the bridge of her nose and pulled her close.

"I hope so. She is usually the one comforting everyone. It's weird seeing her like this."

"She's just worried about Judith, Avery and Dominic. She was the same way with me when I was younger."

"Alexandria needs her. She can't give up now."

"Fat chance of that happening with dad around. She just needs a little assurance sometimes. She'll bounce back. She always does."

Suddenly the baby monitor came alive with Judith talking to her younger siblings and they were babbling back at her. Then one after the other, the twins began crying with Judith calling for their parents.

"I am sure mom and dad fell asleep in the corridor."

Both he and Enid dragged themselves out of bed and walked out into the corridor, heading to the next room. Rightfully as Carl had predicted, Rick and Michonne was asleep in the corridor. Michonne's back was up against the wall as she was facing Rick who had his hands around her waist.

Her outer leg was up across Rick's waist and his legs was resting comfortably between hers. Carl shook his head at them and as Enid attended to the children Carl threw a blanket over his parents. He went back into their room where Enid was on the bed soothing the fussing children. He joined her.*****************

It was the mid-morning rising humidity that woke them up. Rick and Michonne stirred in the spot where they had fell asleep.

"Why didn't Carl wake us? He knows we have a supply run today."

They hurried got off the floor to see Carl and Enid standing at the edge of the stairs holding the two youngest members of the Grimes family.

"Sleep well?" Carl asked smirking at them.

"You should have woken us!" Rick said annoyed.

Dominic and Avery were vigorously stretching out for them. Michonne took Dominic while Rick took Avery.

"We already fed Judith cereal and gave the twins some breast milk you had in the fridge."

Enid smiled at Carl as she said this... knowing how uncomfortable he was at the idea of breast milk being in the fridge.

"Thanks."

Michonne saw the look in Carl's face.

"Really? Do you think Enid would be able to breastfeed your munchkins when you do have them all the time? Breast pumps are a gift from the heavens."

Carl's face turned bright red.

"Ok. I get it mom!"

"I'll go take a shower and get dressed to go."

"Go where?"

"The supply run! Don't tell me you forgot too."

"Umm dad? Do you know what time it is? It's almost noon. I already went on the supply run with the rest of the youth council. We got back about half an hour ago."

Rick stared at his son..in shock that he had overslept so much.

"Oh..ok. Did you guys get anything?"

"We got a lot of stuff. They are currently being packed in our pantry. Then we will pack out our old food stuff to give to Negan's men when they come for their cut."

Rick smiled cheekily at his son.

"Nice."

They all walked downstairs and went to the kitchen

"What about Ottley and David?"

"What about them?"

Rick looked at Carl.

"They havent left the house yet. All they do is sit in the porch and watch." Carl laughed.

"Good."

"Other than official scouting parties, don't send out anymore secret patrols. Negan could be here any minute. Don't risk anymore lives. We've done all that we could do. The rest is up to Jesus and Aaron to find more people."

Rick agreed with Michonne's sentiments. However, Carl respectfully questioned her logic.

"What about locating Negan's other camp? We need to send out more scouts to find it."

"I know that Carl. But right now we can't do that! We just killed one of his men. We don't know how he will react! We have to see what Negan's attitude will be like and then we move on from there!"

Michonne choked up on her words. Rick stood behind her and started rubbing her back in a circular motion to calm her down. He shot a glance at Carl who instantly regretted upsetting his mother. He remembered her hysterical pleading from the night before.

"I didn't mean to upset you! I'm sorry!"

Michonne smiled and handing Dominic over to Enid, called Carl over to her. He rushed over hugging her. Michonne hugged him back.

"You didn't upset me." She parted his hair from his face and kissed his forehead.

"So what are we going to do?"

Michonne and Rick looked at each other.

"Until we know what Negan is going to do...we will have to wait and see."*********************

When Negan and Renee told Jasmine about the miscarriage she didnt believe them at first. However, reality quickly sunk in when Dr Bryce confirmed it. Jasmine hugged her mother and they both cried for about five minutes before pulling apart. Jasmine hugged Negan also. She knew how much he was looking forward to becoming a parent. Now his dreams appear to be vanishing before his very eyes.

The rest of the day passed fairly quickly and uneventful for the residents of the Hilltop, except for Renée. She was doubled over in severe pain in the bathroom. Her miscarriage is finally nearing it's end and it hurts...physically and emotionally. Negan and Jasmine stood outside the door but they know their presence is useless. They can't help her through this. She's on her own. She gasped and whimpered out loudly as another wave of pain began ripping through her. She squeezed her eyes tightly. All she needed to do is just hang in there...it will all be over soon.


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter 57: Together"**

Jasmine couldn't stand to hear her mother crying and not be able to help her. Negan called Trent to take a distressed Jasmine away but he remained. After ten minutes he heard Renee groan in pain again. He pressed his fist hands up against the wall in anger. The woman he loves was in pain and there is nothing he can do to help her.

Dr Bryce saw Trent taking a crying Jasmine upstairs and made his way to the bathroom to check on how things with Renee was progressing. He saw Negan standing outside the bathroom, his ears pressed against the door.

"How is she doing?"

The angry eyes that turned on him made him instantly regret asking the question. Negan's large hands grabbed the doctor by his throat and slammed him up against the nearby wall.

"Do something!" Negan roared at him.

"There is nothing more I can do!" Dr Bryce croaked trying to suck air into his lungs as the hands gripped tighter around his throat.

"Why is she in so much more pain now?!"

"Her womb is contracting more rapidly…. that's why the pain is worst. It's almost over!"

His statement only infuriated Negan more.

"Does it sound like it's almost over?!"

He slammed the doctor against the wall again. Dr Bryce grappled at Negan's hands as they got tighter around his neck.

"I can't breathe!"

Negan's eyes bored into Bryce's. He squeezed tighter again and then release. The doctor slid to the floor coughing. He looked up and saw the angriest pair of eyes glaring down at him.

"Give her something for the pain!"

"I already did but there is only so much I can give her. She knows and understands this. I am sorry."

Dr Bryce got up from the floor and stepped away an arms length from Negan. He could tell he is very angry and could lash out again.

"The most any of us can do is be there for her. Just like what you are doing right now."

"Leave…...now!"

Dr Bryce made a hasty retreat.****************

"Let me in! I want to be there to help you get through this."

He got no response.

"Renee please! I need this! _We_ need to do this together."

He heard her groan again. A couple minutes passed before he finally got the answer he wanted.

"Ok." She replied softly.***************

When Negan entered the bathroom he quickly closed the door behind him. He saw Renée curled up in one corner of the bathtub. He also saw the blood. He looked up at her but she wasn't looking at him. Instead she was staring off ahead...in a blank expression. Negan took off his jacket and sat down on the bathroom floor outside the tub opposite her.

She doesn't move or acknowledged that he was in the room with her. His heart was hurting seeing her like this...lifeless and broken into pieces. Suddenly she closed her eyes tightly as another wave of pain passes through her. She didn't groan but gasped instead to release the pain. Seeing this, Negan stretched out his hand, resting along the edge of the bathtub towards her.

He saw when her eyes flickered slightly at his movement but still she didn't look at him. Five minutes passed between them with Negan's hand still outstretched towards her. Slowly, without looking at him, Renee stretched out her hand to meet his. His hand was so warm as their fingers lingered and interlocked. It was now she turned and their eyes met..hers sorrowful...his hopeful.

"Hey. I am here. We are in this together."

Renee smiled at him weakly. Soon after Negan saw that another wave of pain was beginning to course through her body as she winced and turned her face, leaning in towards the wall. She squeezed his hand tightly.

"Look at me!"

She ignored his request but he still persisted.

"Share your pain with me Renee!"

She finally turned and faced him. Negan saw the pain in her eyes and felt her pain through the grip in her hand. Slowly it subsided. With eyes on each other they waited for the next wave to come to face it together.*******************

The pain have finally stopped. She was so tired so she had closed her eyes for sometime. Slowly she opened them and for the first time, she noticed all the blood that she had lost. She knew it was late at night as she heard no chatter of voices or movement outside in the yard. She could feel Negan's eyes was still on her.

"I think it's over."

Negan looked at her with sadness.

"Ok. What do you need?"

She made an attempt to get up but Negan rushed to her aid. He slowly and careful assisted her to stand on shaky, weaken legs and turned on the shower. The water was cold and the heater was not functioning. She shrunk away when the water first touched her skin but she braved it and went under.

A minute later she began shivering. Seeing this, Negan stripped quickly and got in with her. He pulled her close and she gladly accepted his body heat. Looking down, she saw all the blood being washed away down the drain. A beautiful life snuffed out by abuse and violence. Tears filled her eyes….. she began crying again.

"It isn't fair!"

"I know..I know."****************

It was early the next morning when Wesley contacted Rick via walkie talkie from the main gate. Rick was already up making breakfast for his family when the walkie talkie came alive.

"Rick!"

"Yeah. What is it?"

"You are not gonna believe who's at the gate...Mickey."

"What!"

"Yeah!"

Rick hesitated abit.

"Is he alone?"

"Yeah."

He hesitated again.

Bring him to me. Now!"**************

Rick, Abe, Daryl and Glen all stood in Rick's kitchen looking at Mickey.

"You came back."

"Yes."

"Alone?"

"Yes."

"Why's that?"

"Negan sent me back."

"Why?"

"To deliver a message"

"And what message will that be?"

"He's coming."******************

David and Ottley was shocked when Mickey walked through the door. They were speechless. They rushed outside expecting to see Negan and the calvary. They were disappointed.

"Where's Negan?"

"He' coming. I just don't know when."

"I thought you were dead man."

"Thanks."

"It's been days."

"Why isn't Negan coming now? What's wrong."

Mickey shook his head.

"That asshole Gregory attacked Renee."

Ottley and David's jaw dropped.

"He tried to rape her."

"What the f*ck?! Is he insane?! He went after Renée? Renee?!"

"He must have a death wish!"

"Well he got it."

"Lucille?"

"Yeah. Lucille."

"Is Renee ok?"

"Gregory beat her up really badly before Negan and the other guys took him down. Plus she is pregnant."

"Wow…."

"I hope the baby is ok."

"When I left there, both Renee and the baby was ok."

Neither of the men said anything for a few minutes.

"Holy shit! Negan's gonna be a father."

"Yeah...let's just keep that to ourselves for now." *****************

Renee have been sleeping alot and very moody for the past three days since her miscarriage. Dr Bryce examined her after the first day and she have been constantly sleeping since then except for a few whimpers here and there. Although she have been crying less, Negan knew that she was still hurting.

Bryce told him that they have to watch her as she could slip into a dangerous depression due to her loss. Negan tried his best to cheer her up...bringing her flowers, trying to find her favourite comfort food etc. Jasmine even tried but it all appeared to be unsuccessful. They didn't know what else to do.******************

Renee knows that Negan and Jasmine have been trying to reach out to her since the loss of her child but she just wasn't in the mood and wanted to be left alone. However when she remembered a private conversation she overheard between the two people she loved the most, she realized that she still have so much to be thankful for.

' _I am sorry mom lost her baby but she still has us. We love her! She needs to talk to us...to keep fighting for us!'_

' _She is fighting for us..it's just that right now it's very difficult for her to see what she still has given what she has just lost. We have to help her fight for us.'_

' _I don't know what else to do.'_

' _We will think of something and we will keep trying.'_

' _Yes..we will.'_

This conversation jolted her. These two people who love her are also very worried about her so Renee decided to make an effort to appreciate all that they were trying to do. She accepted their gifts more graciously and even started to smile more. Although she was still grieving she did start to feel abit better and saw that both Negan and Jasmine was also happier too. She decided that she will make the effort to be happy again.

Dr Bryce came calling to examine her again. Her ribs while it still hurts, she have been able to breathe a tiny bit better. Now she was in the medical room where Dr Bryce was examining her. Negan never left her side. After ten minutes, Dr Bryce was finished.

"It appears that everything is gone. You are good. You may still have very mild bleeding and as a doctor you know that is normal after a miscarriage."

Renee removed her feet from the stirrup and Bryce gave her some tablets.

"I need you to take these. It will help with any residual cramping that may occur." Renee nodded.

"Now I need to look at your ribs."

Renee took off her top and held her hands above her head. Bryce examined the stitches and she flinched at the prodding in her side. He quickly apologized.

"You are healing up nicely. In a couple of months your ribs should be almost as good as new except for scaring on the bones which is to be expected."

His words were a jab at Negan and Renée took notice. She had heard the confrontation between them days earlier when she was having her miscarriage in the bathroom but she was too wrapped up in her own pain to even care at that time. Negan ignored him.

"I can't thank you enough for everything you did for me."

"Just helping out a fellow colleague in crisis."

"You didn't have too because of who I am..who I was with."

They both glanced at Negan.

"I would have still done it. You would have too. We are doctors...besides taking an oath, we are both caring people. Right now the world _need_ people like us. Some of us still has to have some kind of humanity left, otherwise there would truly be only savages in this world."

Renee laughed as Dr Bryce looked Negan full on in his face. Negan only smirked.

"Don't push it doctor. Yes I am a savage but this world right here need people like me. This world needs order."

"And you're the one to do just that?"

"Yes."

"Right!" Bryce said sarcastically.

The men stared at each other with Renee looking between them.

"Boys behave."

"I'm good."

Bryce turned his attention back to Renee.

"So what is your next move?"

"I want to go home."

"I think you should stay here at least for awhile so I can check up on you."

"You know I can't stay here."

"I know."

"But you could come and visit me at the Sanctuary."

No one said anything for a few minutes. Renee knew that both men didn't want that option but they didn't have a choice in the matter. Dr Bryce finally gave in.

"Fine."

"Good. One of the men will bring you by in a couple of days."

Renee slid off the examination table and hugged Bryce.

"Thanks again for everything.*************

 _ **One day later…..**_

Renee was glad to be back home..in her own bed and her own space. While the Hilltop is a beautiful place it now holds bad memories for her there. As she lay spread out on the bed, she could hear Jasmine talking with her friends..it was a welcomed sound. Negan stood at the door admiring her.

"I know we just got back but I need to leave. I have to deal with this Rick killing one of my men situation."

Renee slowly sat up on the bed as Negan walked across to her. He kneeled down between her legs at the edge of the bed.

"Promise me you wouldn't do anything foolish."

Her eyes held his.

"Don't let what happened to me cloud your judgement. Don't take it out on them. Listen to what Rick has to say. Promise me."

Negan smiled, kissed Renee gently on her lips and left.***********************

"Where is this son of a bitch?" Daryl asked.

It has been days since Mickey returned and still no sign of Negan.

"I don't like this Rick. I don't like it one bit."

"I don't like it either Glen."

"Who knows what that cock sucker told Negan!" Abe said angrily. "We should go asked him!"

"No! This situation is already delicate as it is. His wife was attacked..remember? He is coming. We just have to be ready when he eventually show up and deal with whatever shit he throws at us."

"I'm ready." Abe said loudly.

Rick glanced at him.

"We all are." Glen added.

One hour later four cars pulled up at Alexandria's main gate.


	58. Chapter 58

**Chapter 58: "Last Warning"**

The children were already at Carol's house when Rick got the call from Ned that four cars were approaching Alexandria. He hurried to the gate and when the cars pulled up he saw Negan. Rick gave the signal and watched attentively as Ned opened the gates and the cars drove in. Michonne, Sasha, Rosita, Maggie and Carol gathered at Sasha's house while Enid and the rest of the youth arm group excepting Carl guarded the children in the safety of Carol's house.

As the cars were parking, Rick whispered to Ned who jumped down from the guard tower. He gestured to a couple of men who followed him to dispatch instructions to the residents. Some of the Alexandrians were also at the front gate armed. Negan was the first to get out of the car, swinging Lucille in tow. The rest of his men got out and began spreading themselves along the north wall. Daryl, Glen and Abe took their place alongside Rick whereas Nathan, Marion, Jude, Brad, Lennon and Mitchell spread themselves to mirror the formation of Negan's men along the north wall.

Still, they each were outnumbered, two to one. As Rick tried to assess the situation developing before him he noticed something about Negan. He was different, very different. Something changed for Negan. He knows that he would not be a happy camper after his wife got hurt but there was something about Negan that bothered him now more than before.

He now sees hate, vengeance and frustration in Negan's eyes. Rick picked up on the feeling that the change or whatever happened to him wasn't for the better. Soon Mickey, David and Ottley came out and took their place besides their people. Rick stared at them. However his glare shifted from them to their leader. Negan walked up to Rick and pointed Lucille directly in his face.

"This better be f*cking good!"***************

The council ladies watched from the sniper post in Sasha's bedroom, hidden and fully armed. Sasha peered through her sniper scope and Michonne fiddled with her katana. They saw when Negan and his men drove up and into their home and Michonne flinched abit and gripped her katana when she saw the barbwire bat in her husband's face. Soon blood dripped from her hand. She was proud that so far Rick has kept his cool. She did a quick visual sweep of the community and saw that the rest of the people had spread themselves around Alexandria...fully armed as well. She was so proud of them also. She quickly diverted her eyes back on Rick.

"This is not going to be pleasant...is it?" Sasha commented.

"No. It's not." Was Michonne's steely response.************

Carl, Damien Teddy, Lyndon and the other residents were standing guard at the east, west and south gates. Although they saw only four cars drive up to the front gates, they are not taking any chances that more could be out there hiding somewhere outside the other walls around their home. So far they haven't seen anyone but that doesn't mean that they are not out there. Carl thought he saw flicker of movement along the east gate from the guard tower. He peered between the trees from his binocular, but he didn't see anything.

"What? What is it? What did you see?" Lyndon asked quietly..nervously.

Carl frowned.

"I could have sworn I saw someone...out there."

Lyndon grabbed the binocular and looked out among the trees.

"No. I don't see anything."

"Ok."***************

"I'm waiting." Negan said with Lucille still pointed in Rick's face.

"There's nothing to tell."

"Really?! You killed one of my men and you think not giving me an explanation is going to cut it?!"

Rick glanced at Mickey as Negan slowly lowered Lucille at his side.

"I don't know what you were told but Titus attacked me and I defended myself."

"Why?"

Rick cocked his head to the side.

"Why what?"

"Why did Titus attacked you?"

"Because he came at my wife!"

Rick saw Negan flinched at his words. They struck a personal chord for him and his expression soften somewhat...temporary. Rick knew he had to exploit this common link between them...the link of their wives.

"He scared her! She cried and locked herself in our bedroom for days not eating! She didn't even sleep that first night! I had to protect my family so I couldn't let what Titus did pass! I had to teach him a minor lesson in manners. He didn't like that and came after me instead!"

A couple of seconds passed between them as Rick let his sorrowful words soak into Negan's head. Playing on Negan's emotions of them both having a wife in distress is his only ace up his sleeve. Mickey, Ottley and David discreetly looked at each other in utter amazement as Rick wove a tale of a distressed and helpless Michonne who they all know is anything but helpless. However, if asked by Negan they are not going to refute Rick's claim as it helps solidify that Titus was a mad dog that Rick had to put down to protect his family. Besides...Rick's story is going to save their asses.

Negan looked over at them. Rick did too.

"Is this true?!" Negan barked at them.

"Yes! They answered in unison.

"All of it?" He asked suspiciously.

"Yes. Rick's telling the truth."

"They were there. They tried to stop Titus! They had nothing to do with what he did!"

Negan looked between his men and Rick.

"Ok."

Mickey, Ottley and David swallowed hard...their eyes thanking Rick for their lives.

"Where is she?"

"Don't even think about it pig!" Abe interjected quickly.

Both Negan and Rick glanced at him.

"You really don't want to f*ck with me today Red!" Negan said menacingly with his eyes back on Rick.

"Where my wife is is none of your f*cking business! Leave her out of this! This is between you and me!"

Negan chuckled.

"I am not interested in your wife Rick. And yes..you are correct. This is between you and me. After all regardless of what Titus did, your wife didn't kill him...you did."

Rick squinted his eyes at Negan.

"I just wanted to know if she was alright. That she wasn't hurt."

Rick cocked his head to the side, slightly puzzled by Negan. Glen, Abe and Daryl looked at each other also confused. Negan saw his confusion and he didn't care. He had his reasons for wondering if Rick's wife is ok. A man's family is not to be messed with and he respects Rick for what he did even though it means that he was now a man short. The truth is..he likes Rick. Maybe if they had met before the world had gone to shit they could have been friends.

"The only reason why I am putting up with this is because you and your people are capable. I don't have to waste any of my time or my men to protect your community and I still get half of your stuff."

He looked around at the other residents.

"By right, I should kill one of you, right here..right now! That's usually how I do it. You keep killing my men Rick! You took out two of my camps….I let that slide! Now you kill Titus. I am gonna let this slide as well. You only did what I would have done and I am not going to fault you for that. However this is becoming a pattern! A pattern I don't like. There is always going to be a reason why you kill my people but you know what? You just used up your last excuse!"

Negan walked up to Rick, closing the gap between them.

"From here on out, if any more of my men dies by your hand or any hand from Alexandria. I will come back here with my men and I will kill all of you!"

Negan saw the insolence in Rick's eyes. He stepped back and whistled. Suddenly his men inside Alexandria began to whistle as well and then the whistling continued...echoing loudly beyond the walls all around Alexandria. Rick became startled..looking around frantically..gun raised. The sound was coming from all around them. Abe, Daryl and Glen also raised their weapons, eyes searching the trees around their home. They didn't see anything or anyone.*****************

When the whistling started, the ladies became alert. Sasha frantically searched through her sniper scope but she couldn't see anyone. Carol, Maggie and Rosita who were keeping watch at the other windows looked in the trees. They couldn't see anyone.

"Where the f*ck are they?! I don't see anyone!" Sasha screamed in frustration.

Michonne's katana was in her hand, her eyes making quick sweeps of the trees, occasionally glancing back to Rick, Abe and the others.

"They are out there! All of them!"***************

When the whistling started Carl and some of the other residents froze. They couldn't see anyone but the sound was chilling to their ears. It appears that there are alot of them out there.

"Jesus Christ! They are everywhere!" Teddy said in a panic looking at Carl.

"Calm down! They are just trying to scare us!"

"Yeah? Well it's working!"***************

Enid, Tara and the others have managed to keep the children quiet since Negan's arrival but when the whistling started they were afraid that the children would become frightened by the sound. Strangely they weren't.

Avery and Dominic was especially quiet and calm. Enid rubbed their tummies and they held on to her fingers with an iron grip...their little feet kicking every once in awhile. They were looking up at her, no smiles on their faces, their blue and brown eyes searching hers questioningly. She brought her face within reach of their little arms which they touched excitedly.

"Everything is going to be alright. Your parents are out there with the rest of our family making sure that you are safe and remain so."

They cooed at her softly, smiles appeared briefly on their faces. Soon Tara and the others brought over Judith, Elsa, Robyn and Caleb and sitting on the ground, formed a circle and placed all the children between them, protectively. Enid noticed the worried look on Tara's face. She knew that she was thinking of Denise. She took hold of Tara's hand.

"We are not going to lose anymore of our people ok! Believe that!"

Tara smiled at her weakly. ***************

Negan grinned to himself and his men inside of Alexandria snickered when they saw the reaction of some of the residents. Mickey, David and Ottley knew what that whistling meant. Alexandria was completely surrounded...the residents ready to be slaughtered.

Mickey instantly regretted telling Negan about Titus. Maybe he should have just lied about his death...blame it on walkers or a freak accident or something else. A lump formed in his throat and he couldn't breath. If anyone dies here today...it was squarely on his shoulders.

There was a mixture of fear and defiance on the faces of the Alexandrians. This display of Negan's power over Rick went on for five minutes straight and then suddenly dies down. The whistling was nerve racking and Rick saw that it affected his people.

He knew he couldn't fight back...at least not now. The odds are dangerously stacked against them. He doesn't know how many are outside the walls and he wasn't going to risk the lives of his people finding out.

"I came here with the intention to kill you Rick when I heard what you had done but I was urged by someone I love most to hear you out..which I did. This will not happen again."

Negan looked at Ottley , David and Mickey.

"I will help you Rick to fulfil your goal of not killing anymore of my men therefore I will not have to keep my promise of coming back here and killing all of you. I will remove my men from Alexandria but in exchange they will be patrolling and dropping by randomly as I see fit. You wouldn't know when they are coming, you wouldn't even see them but they will be around...watching your every move."

He stepped back and raised Lucille to Rick's face again.

"I don't want you or any of your people to meet my friend here because she likes meeting new people and trust me that meeting will only be enjoyable for one of you."

Negan looked over at each of Rick's right hand men...his eyes particularly lingering on a fuming Abe.

"This is your last warning Rick! DO NOT...F*CK...WITH ME!"

Rick's jaw clenched at this announcement. It spells trouble for his people. They watched as Negan and his people drove out the gates and left Alexandria. The gates closed behind them and Rick turned around to see dozens of troubles eyes looking at him for guidance.****************


	59. Chapter 59

**Chapter 59: "Parallels"**

Rick looked into the faces of his people as they stare back at him. Some registered confusion, some fear and others anger. He swallowed hard..he can't even begin to know that they are thinking. He looked at Abe, Glen and Daryl and then back at the others.

"I want you go back to your homes. There will be a community meeting at the church tonight."

Rick watched as the residents slowly made their way to their homes. Glen, Daryl and Abe huddled around Rick and they began walking to their homes. Abe chuckled slightly.

"What?"

"Man..you had even me believing that Michonne was a damsel in distress!"

"You did good Rick!" Daryl complimented him.

Rick smiled.

"Go home to your families and come over later. We should meet as a council before the church meeting."

Abe, Glen and Daryl nodded and headed home.*****************

It was just after midday when Negan arrived back at the Sanctuary. After greetings he asked Jasmine for her mother. She pointed to the medical room. Negan walked over and pushed the door. He saw her standing at the counter. She turned around and he could see that she had been crying as she was clutching the prenatal vitamins Dr Bryce had given her before the miscarriage. She held it out to him as he walked across the floor over to her. He lifted and placed her to sit on the counter. Her eyes was red and puffy looking down at the packets in her hand.

"I thought I left them back at the Hilltop." She said quietly. "They were in my bag when I unpacked."

Negan took the pills away and put them in his pocket.

"What are you going to do with them?"

"I don't know yet…maybe throw them away."

Renee nodded.

"Yeah.."

They said nothing for a few minutes.

"How did it go at Alexandria."

"Better than expected."

Renee eyed him.

"Again…..I didn't kill anybody and I took your advice. I listened to what Rick had to say."

"And?"

"Titus attacked his wife."

Renee had a sharp intake of breath at Negan's words which caused her to flinch painfully because of her injured ribs.

"Yeah.. Scared her. Then he went after Rick, so Rick put him down."

"He did the right thing."

"Yeah..he did."

"So…"

"So I still lost a man."

Renee stared at Negan.

"What did you do?"

He hesitated to answer.

"What did you do?!"

"I told you...I didn't kill any of them."

"I heard you when you said that the first time."

She now glared at him angry.

"Did you threaten them?!"

Negan said nothing which only confirmed what she was asking. She angrily pushed him away and walked to the other side of the room.

"Jesus Christ Negan! You have to stop doing this!" She threw her hands up in the air. "You have to stop threatening people!"

Negan just looked at her from across the room.

"What did you tell him?!"

Negan refused to answer her.

"Tell me!"

"I told him that if anymore of my people dies by his or any hands from Alexandria…..I will kill them all!"

She stared at him for a couple minutes.

"Look...I get how and why you reach to this point. What happened to Nelva and Cindy years ago was horrible. It did something to you. It broke you. I know that you still blame yourself for what happened to them and you swore that you will do whatever it takes to protect your people but where does it end?! You threatened Rick for killing a man who went after his wife! You did the same thing for me!"

Negan turned away his face from her. Renee closed the door and took off her blouse and bra.

"Look at me!"

Negan turned towards her slowly. He glared at her and noticed that although the cuts on her breast was healed the scars still remained. The black and blue marks on her side had almost completely vanished but the stitches and the swelling was still ever present. She saw the anger slowly creeping up in Negan.

"Gregory raped me 19 years ago. He abused me in every single way possible for the first six months of my pregnancy. And then he tries to rape me again. He hurt me and I lost my baby! _Our baby!_ I know that you are angry at this...angry at me for losing our baby."

"This is in no way your fault!"

"Isnt it? You wanted to kill Gregory the minute you found out what he did to me all those years ago. I was the one who refused to do so. Look at what it cost us!"

"I never blamed you! I don't blame you. Our baby died because of Gregory….not you! I never once held you responsible for what happened you...not 19 years ago and not now!"

"I believe you Negan. I know you don't blame me but I do know that you are angry and grieving and you want to lash out."

Renee walked over to Negan bare chested. His eyes was fixed on the scars on her breast. Her voice was low.

"Tell me….if one of your men was to go after Rick's wife again or anyone of the wives of an Alexandrian, or anyone in Alexandria for any reason at all and they defended themselves would you really kill them? Would you really kill someone who did the exact same thing that you did for me?"

"Where is all this coming from?! I love you Renée but I told you that I am not going to change. What I do works..it keeps my people safe! It kept you and Jasmine safe. You know all of this! You know what I am and you love me anyway!"

Renee smiled at him.

"Yes...I do love you Negan. You're probably the first man I really ever loved if you count Gregory out. And yes….I know what you are and I still love you anyway. What does that say about me? Was that my mistake? Giving you a chance? You want to know why I decided to give you a chance? It wasn't love at first sight or a case of Stockholm syndrome. Trust me. When I was first brought here...I despised you. Your men kidnapped me and my daughter from our home. They took all of our stuff and brought us to this place. I saw the way you were running things...the many wives, you ruling with an iron fist...Lucille. I even witnessed first hand what you will do to your own men to keep the others safe. You were an arrogant, narcissistic, self serving prick. I couldn't wait to get away from here fast enough that's why I left here so quickly. But then you sent Marcus to watch over us...make sure we were safe, despite my rejection of the sanctuary. You didn't have to do that...risk one of your men for me or my child. I took notice of that."

Renee paused to catch her breath...gather her thoughts.

"When I came back, you had every opportunity to take advantage of the situation but you made no demands of me. You didn't give me the option of becoming one of your wives or be sent to an outpost. Instead you gave me my own space."

Renee chuckled lightly.

"You thought that I was going to leave again once things settled down so you tried using the angle that Jasmine would be safe and happy here if I stayed. You were right..I can't deny that. Jasmine was and is safe and happy here. It was the first time in a long time I felt relieved that I could sleep at night. You watched out for her..cared about her like she is your own and you still do. You protected the one thing that meant the most to me. I took notice of that too."

Renee smiled.

"Then you started to make some changes yourself. You got rid of Misty and the other wives. I took note of that but I still didn't trust you because you were seemly doing all the right things. It took months for me to open up to you but you were making an effort to change some of the things that you were doing that I didn't like so I decided to open up to you too. What you are doing to Rick and his people is wrong. Your people attack his people and he fought back. What did you expect? For him to do nothing?! Is that what you would have done? No! He did exactly what you would have done if you were in his position. We both know it and now you threatened his family with death?"

She dug her hands in his pocket and took out the prenatal vitamins. She held it up to his face.

"After everything that has happened, after everything that I've just lost….that _we've_ just lost….are you really going to do that to another man who could have easily been you on the other side?" She put the vitamins in his hand. "Fix this. Please."****************

Abe, Sasha, Daryl, Rosita, Glen, Maggie and Carol had all just arrived at Rick's house. They had all just dropped off their kids at Carol's to stay with Tara, Candice and Lizzie. Carl and Enid came downstairs with Judith, Avery and Dominic in tow. They were in the kitchen getting ready to go to Carol's as well. Rick and the others were in the living room settling down.

"Dad!"

Rick turned around. Carl gestured to him that they were heading out.

"Carl..wait!"

Walking over to where Michonne was, Rick put one hand around her waist, pulled her close and whispered something to her. She turned around and smiled. They then went over to the kitchen. Rick picked up Judith and showered her with kisses. Judith giggled. Rick handed her Michonne who did the same. The twins were squirming in Carl and Enid's arms impatient for their turn. Rick took Avery and Michonne took Dominic. Rick and Michonne cuddled them facing each other. The twins loved the attention given their squeals of delight. As Carl and Enid watched them Enid interlocked her fingers with Carl's simultaneously resting her head on his shoulder. He kissed her forehead gently. After a couple of minutes, they handed the twins back to them.

"Carl..you will be eighteen and a husband very soon. You need to start attending these meetings."

He looked at Carl and Enid.

"Both of you. You're not kids anymore and if something happens to your mother or me or Abe or Maggie or any of the others both of you need to take our place. You need to know the inner workings of the council because one day...all of this will be yours. Avery, Dominic, Judith, Caleb, Elsa, Robyn….you are the oldest and you have to make it safe for them to grow up in. Then you all can run Alexandria together. That is my vision for you and them. I already spoke to the others..Michonne also agrees with me. So, next council meeting, both of you will be there with us, making contributions as council members."

"Ok, but what about the youth council?"

"We haven't discussed that as yet but we will. There is a role for everyone."

Carl nodded. Avery reached out to Rick for one more kiss from her daddy which he happily obliged. Dominic was looking at Michonne, smiled and put his hands out to her. Michonne hugged and kissed him.

Carl shook his head.

"You know these two are playing you guys, right?"

"Yeah..we know."

"Suckers!" Carl laughed and both he and Enid left.*****************

Michonne's head snapped around to look at Rick with slight amusement at the tale she has just heard from Daryl.

"You actually said that?"

"Yes."

"That I was scared, and that I cried and hid in our bedroom for days without eating?"

"Well I couldn't exactly tell him that you were about to gut the guy on our front porch...now could I? If Titus had taken another step towards you or if I hadn't stop you he would have been dead. He lived a little longer because of me!"

They laughed.

"Did you see the way Negan reacted when Rick said Michonne was attacked? He flinched. He actually asked if she was hurt...if she was alright."

"What?" Rosita asked.

"Are you being serious?" Sasha asked.

Glen nodded.

"You think it was genuine." Maggie asked skeptical.

"Yeah...it was."Rick said. "He beat a man to death for attacking and seriously injuring his own wife. He may not like that I killed another one of his men but he understood why it had to be done."

"That was good Intel from Candice. Rick really put a spin on the wife card."

"Wife card?! Really?" Sasha said looking at her husband.

"Yes...wife card! It worked….it got to Negan. And those asswipes went along with what Rick said when Negan asked them if what Rick said was true. Ha!"

"What choice did they have? I didn't exactly lie about what actually happened. Titus did come at you. What happened after may have been muddied abit. My story saved their lives!"

"Yes it did." Daryl agreed.

"How much influence do you think Negan's wife have over him?" Maggie asked.

"Well he came here to kill us..brought a lot of his people too but he didn't."

"Why?"

"Because she told him to listen to what I had to say...and he did."

"So she maybe the key to getting Negan off our backs." Sasha observed.

"Yeah..long enough for us to kill him." Michonne added.

"Yeah...but for now we have to stay low...buy our time. I made matter worse. They are even more eyes watching us now." Rick frowned to himself.

"We got them out of our home!" Rosita protested.

"But at what cost?" Glen reasoned. "Atleast in here, we could monitor them. Now if we go out, they could follow us to the safe houses, to the Eugene. They could even know what we are up to with Jesus and Aaron."

"I messed up!" Rick said looking at all of them. "I'm sorry."

"That's not what I'm saying Rick. They are dangerous inside and outside of Alexandria."

Michonne looked at her watch.

"It's time for the church meeting."****************

"Before I say anything, I want to apologize to you all. It seems that in my attempt to correct one situation I have created another. I have put us in a worse position than what we were in before. I am sorry for that."

Rick scanned the crowd and saw many different reactions...some subtle, others outwardly displayed. He continued.

"We have people out there. We have Eugene, Vicki, Spencer, Dharia and Reed at the ammo factory. There is also Jesus and Aaron out scouting for people to bring back so we can fight Negan. That was then but right now, the situation has changed. They are no longer watching us from the inside. Now they are out there, everywhere looking at us. It means that while we can still go out on supply runs we can no longer recruit anyone in. We now have to rely on Jesus and Aaron being successful in their search for more people."

"So what do we do now Rick?" Ramona asked.

Rick looked at the Michonne, Glen and the rest of the council member behind him.

"We have two choices. Firstly, Negan came here to kill us but he didn't because his wife told him not too….to hear me out. She does have some influence over him. She could be the key to getting out from under Negan."

Some of the residents shook their head.

"It's too risky to even approach her. Her loyalty would be to Negan." Liam said aloud. Some of the residents agreed with him.

"Secondly, we could just wait it out and put our trust and faith that Jesus and Aaron will come through for us and get more people."

There were nods that suggest that this was a more palatable solution for most.

"What about the Hilltop? We can't leave them on their own." Lizzie asked.

"We need to get our number up first if we are to free them. That's where Jesus and Aaron come in."

"What about Vicki?" It was Darcy, Vicki's sister who now spoke. "We can't leave her, Eugene and the others out there by themselves."

"They have to stay there and keep the factory running." Michael said.

"She's my sister! We can't leave them out there with these people running around!"

Carl now stood up to speak, interrupting the argument threatening to break out.

"We take the chance and bring them home."

"And what about the factory?" Marion asked.

Carl swallowed hard.

"We burn it down."

There were loud gasped in the church.

"What's wrong with you?! Are you crazy?! We need the factory!" Michael shouted at Carl. Enid immediately got to her feet.

"Don't talk to him like that!"

Enid and Michael glared at each other.

"Enough!" Abe shouted at everyone and they fell silent. He nodded to Carl who continued.

"Yes we need the factory, but we need Eugene and the others more! They are most important! We don't have to burn down the factory but we need to bring our people home!"

"But the saviours could find it and start making bullets!"

"What are the odds of the saviours having another Eugene who actually knows how to make bullets?!" Enid interrupted. "Finding the factory and actually getting to make the bullets are two different things, but if they find Eugene AT the factory, they will have both...they will have everything they need. We must separate the two!"

The church was quiet, absorbing Enid's argument. Carl was looking at Enid smiling and Rick was looking at his son and his future warrior wife. They reminded him so much of himself and Michonne...a mirror of themselves. Carl will have a strong support system in Enid when she becomes his wife. His son will be in capable hands just like he is. Rick looked back and saw Michonne bursting with pride at Carl and Enid. Abe, Maggie, Sasha and the others were also looking at the young couple smiling.

"Fine!" Michael conceded loudly. "Let's go for Eugene and the others!"

"You damn straight we are going for my sister asshole!"


	60. Chapter 60

**Chapter 60: "Tick Tock"**

 _ **Four days later…..**_

After the meeting at the church, many people volunteered to be part of the group to bring Eugene and the others home safely and discreetly. However, since this was a most important and delicate task, Rick chose his most trusted and experienced people. Abe, Daryl and Glen suited up. He also chose Olivia to go with them because she had developed some mad tracking skills under Daryl's guidance. They took two separate cars..one to bring back as much ammunition as possible, the other to bring their people home.

"Try to pack as much ammo as you can. We don't want to make too many trips. We may get away undetected on one trip..but making more is risky." Rick emphasized. "Bring our people home."

They all nodded and left.*************

Enid and Carl were also busy sending out small groups on supply runs under the careful supervision of Maggie. Rick saw Michonne quietly observing them from a distance. He snuck up behind her and slowly wrapped his hand around her waist kissing her on her cheek.

"Look at them! I am so proud of him..the both of them."

"Yeah! They make a great team..just like you and me."

He slyly pinched her butt.

"The kids are at Sasha's." Rick whispered seductively in her ear.

"What do you have in mind?" Michonne asked grinning.

Rick gently pulled her hips back on the rising python in his jeans. Michonne grabbed his hand and started pulling him towards their house.************

Enid nudged Carl and he saw that she was looking in the direction of his parents holding hands, scurrying away. Enid giggled as Carl shook this head.*************

When Dr Bryce drove through the gates of the Sanctuary, he was speechless. In addition to the three checkpoint heavily guarded at the narrow entrance that they just passed through, there were armed patrol outside and inside of the Sanctuary. Neil paid no attention to Dr Bryce being in awe of their home. He saw men, women and some young people walking briskly from vehicles to the building carrying supplies. After parking they got out of the vehicle. Dr Bryce then saw Jasmine coming out of the building to one of the cars the others were off loading. They called out to each other.

"Hey!" She said, walking over to him.

Dr Bryce smiled.

"Here to check up on mom?"

"Yes."

"She's in the medical room."

"Is she alright?" He asked concerned.

"Yeah. She's just patching up a few guys who got banged up on the supply run. We just came back."

Dr Bryce gestures towards her skinned forearm.

"And you?"

"This is nothing. Mom told me to come by when I'm finished unloading."

"Hmmmm."

Dr Bryce stooped down and began digging in his med kit. He found what he was looking for in seconds.

"Hold out your arm."

"Mom will take care of it when I'm done."

"I heard you the first time. Hold out your arm."

Jasmine complied and Bryce passed a swab over the bruise. She winced. Then he put a clear white cream over it and cover it with a large bandage. He turned around to see Neil impatiently waiting on him.

"All done."

"Thanks."

Dr Bryce followed Neil up the semi graveled path to the front entrance and inside. There they saw Negan listening to one of his men. They waited a short distance away where Bryce heard a small portion of the conversation.

"She did real good out there today. She held her own and she saved Nico's ass. I could see her running her own crew in a couple of years."

Dr Bryce could see that Negan was pleased with the report that he was getting and he assumed that it was about Jasmine. When Trevor left he approached Negan and whispered in his ear and stepped. Negan now faced him.

"Dr."

"Negan."

The doctor responded and instantly rubbed his neck. Negan said nothing to the movement. He turned and the doctor followed.*************

When Negan pushed open the door, they heard a man groaned out in pain. Renee's back was to them as she injected the man with a healthy dose of morphine.

"Sorry." She said slightly amused.

"It's ok. Jasmine saved me you know. I swear I didn't see that other walker. If it wasn't for her, it would have been a goner. You should be proud."

"I am."

The man then noticed Negan and the doctor standing behind Renee. He made an attempt to sit up.

"Boss."

Renee didn't look around as she was cleaning his wound. Instead she pushed Nico back down on the bed, annoyed.

"Lie back down!"

He did as he was told.

"Are you ready?"

Nico nodded. Dr Bryce stepped around Negan just in time to see Renee began sewing up a huge 7 inch gash on her patient's thigh. Nico was smiling at the ceiling...clearly the morphine was already kicking in. Dr Bryce watched as Renee quickly and expertly closed the deep cut. It was done beautifully.

It refreshed in his mind the idea he had about the community clinic for sometime now and Renee would make an excellent addition to the staff. But to do so would expose Hilltop's connection to Alexandria and until he gets word from Rick, those plans will remain on hold.

Bryce glanced at Negan and saw the way he was looking at her. His face showed content and that he was clearly in love. Bryce looked back as Renee was preparing to give her patient a shot of antibiotics. He wondered how someone like Renee ended up with a man like Negan. They are like chalk and cheese...oil and water. He wondered about their first meeting.

He assumed Jasmine is his daughter, so are they married? He doesn't see a ring on either one fingers so are they divorced and came back together because of the world basically coming to an end? He has to admit he was curious as hell about them but he dare not ask. Besides it's not important anyway at this stage…they are together..they are a family.

"All done!"

"Thanks doc…" Nico drawled lazily.

Renee took off her gloves and finally turned and faced the men.*************

After Negan called two of his men to take Nico to his room, he carefully cleaned and sanitized the bed and surrounding area. Dr Bryce was quite surprised that Negan knows exactly what chemicals to use as well as the cleaning techniques he employed.

However, he shouldn't as having a doctor for a wife, he would have picked up a few things when she's at work. When he is finished Renee lay on the bed and put her feet up. Dr Bryce smiled inwardly when Negan locked the door behind them. Clearly Negan protects Renee and their privacy at all cost.***********

Negan found it difficult standing there as another man peering inside of Renee. Even though it was for her health, it was disturbing to him watching her exposed infront of a stranger. As the seconds turn into minutes in the examination, he was becoming more and more irritable, anger rising rapidly inside of him.

All the memories of that night came flooding back….her screams echoed Nelva's and Cindy's and it hurt.. her body struggling under Gregory's….him hitting her….strangling her….stomping her….she desperately fighting back. All of this is the reason why Renee is now intimately exposed before a complete stranger. Negan involuntarily clenched fist...his head was now throbbing as he closed his eyes...visually seeing the life of their unborn child slipping away from the safety of Renee's womb...down the drain as if it was nothing.

But it wasn't nothing….it was something. Something to Renee…something to him. He was seething with rage when he crushed Gregory's skull into the dirt that same night and he thought that his anger would have subsided after Gregory's demise but it didn't. It still lingered below the surface. He was still hurting and he doesn't know how to make it stop. He saw when Dr Bryce picked up an instrument to examine Renee further and she flinched.

"Sorry." Bryce said softly.

"It's ok." She replied.

Negan couldn't stay here any longer. Agitated, he left the room.***************

Renee was quietly observing Negan during her examination. He was careful in avoiding eye contact for most of the time except for this once brief second when she flinched and he looked up at her. She saw all she needed to see...darkness filling his hazel eyes. She saw the demon that she had worked so hard to suppress over the years threatening to chew its way out of its very fragile vessel.

She saw the intense stare and the clenched fists. What Titus did...going after another man's wife only made matters worse. It was a mirror image for what happened to her and Renee was genuinely afraid.. Negan is time bomb...slowly and steadily ticking beneath the surface and she has to stop it. She has to stop the explosion now before it consumed them all.*************

Dr Bryce heard when the door suddenly opened and slammed shut. He turned around and Negan had disappeared. He turned back around to see an upset Renee.

"He's so angry and hurting so bad!" Renee cries.

"Men like Negan...when they are hurting they are very dangerous and they hurt other people too... even those they don't want to...the people that they love." He looked at her pointedly. "They will burn everyone and everything around them. You need to reel him in!"

"I know...I know and I will...somehow."

It took Dr Bryce all but 5 minutes to check Renee's ribs. It was healing nicely and she was able to breathe much better. It would be months before she could claim to have made a full recovery. When he was finished, Renee darted out the door.**************

Renee met Jasmine on patrol duty and saw that her hand was already bandaged. She was grateful to Dr Bryce's help.

"Where's Negan?"

"I thought he was with you."

Renee ran off. After talking to a few residents, Renee strapped on her gun and heading out the gate at the back of the Sanctuary.*************

Renee didn't have to go too far from the gate as she saw the evident marks of destruction. She followed the trail of freshly crushed skulls of walkers and four bodies later, she found Negan at work on another soulless undead. She waited patiently for him to finish.

"Did it help?" She asked quietly.

Negan turned and faced her covered in blood.

"What are you doing out here?"

"What do you think?"

"You shouldn't be out here."

They looked at each other for a couple of seconds then she closed the gap between them.

"Talk to me Negan. Please."

As Renee stood before him, Negan looked down into her kind, brown eyes. She is such a gentle creature that sometimes he doesn't think he deserves her. He knows that some of his men were very surprised when they got together and he did hear one or two whispers that she was just too good for him. Needless to say, everyone denied ever hearing such a story. Another walker was staggering coming towards them and he gently pulled away and went to deal with it. Renee looked on impatient...knowing that Negan was avoiding the conversation. When he was done, he didn't return to her.

"So you are not going to talk to me now?"

"I don't know what you want me to say?"

"Say that you're angry at what happened!"

Negan turned to her and said nothing.

"Fine. Be like that." She said softly.

Renee turned and started walking back to their home. She had only taken five steps when Negan screamed out.

"Yes!"

His outburst caused her to turn around frightened.

"I'm angry alright! I am angry! I'm f*cking angry!"

Renee began walking towards him but he put up his hand to stop her midway.

"I felt so helpless! Useless...seeing all that blood...our baby slipping from inside of you! I died every time I saw your face etched in pain as our child was draining from your body! I thought killing Gregory for hurting you was going to be enough but now I can't kill him for hurting our baby too! He's never going to pay for that!"

Renee continued walking towards him again but this time he didn't stop her. She tip toed and threw her arms around his neck bringing him close to her. Holding a bloodied Lucille in one hand, he used his free hand to put halfway around her waist so as not to touch her bruised ribs and held her close to him. Renee could feel his chest heaving violently against her own. She hugged him tighter.

"Please don't go back to that place!" Renee whispered softly to him. "Promise me."

When Negan didn't answer she pulled away from him but he didn't let go of her waist..he held her firmly against him.

She saw uncontrollable rage burning in his eyes.

"Do you want me to hate you? Again? Because if you walk back down that road that's exactly what will happen. I will hate you. Jasmine will hate you. Is that what you want?"

Negan shook his head.

"I wouldn't survive if you and Jasmine hated me."

He buried his face in her neck.

"Help me...please!"

Tears flooded her eyes as she held his head against hers.

"Oh baby! I'm here for you! We are in this together. Whenever you feel hurt or angry or frustrated...you come and find me! Wherever I am, you find me and hug me as tightly as you can. You don't even have to say a word...just hug me."

She brought his face up and cupped it in her hands, her eyes desparately pleading with his. Then she kissed him.

"You promise me Negan! Promise!"

She kissed him again…deeply this time.

"I promise."

Dr Bryce stood quietly from a distance observing them and making mental notes.************

Since the birth of the twins just over three months ago, Rick and Michonne have tried to use protection as often as they could without much success. They have to. They couldn't risk Michonne getting pregnant so soon after the traumatic delivery of the twins especially getting pregnant with twins again. But also quite frankly...Rick's pull out game sucks. Now...presently, as Rick pound into her unprotected, she held on unto the bed post and pushed her face into the pillow to muffle her moans of pleasure….protection is the last thing on her mind.*************

Rick loved the view he had of Michonne on all fours infront of him on the bed. Holding her hips firmly in place with his hands, he braced his knees between hers and gradually pushed them apart. Michonne's firm, round posterior was angled perfectly up against his belly as he drove himself into her slow and steady. Rick could feel himself slowly reaching his breaking point.

"Michyyyyy!" Rick drawled breathlessly.***********

When Michonne heard that nickname she knew Rick was about to explode inside of her. He had to pull out and she knew she had to help him. She tried easing herself away from Rick but he wouldn't let her.

"Rick...pull out!"

"Hmmmm. Ok!" He said between gasps but he kept on pounding her.

"Jesus Christ." Michonne groaned. She too was at her wits end. "For gods sakes...pull...out!"

It was too late as Michonne felt Rick stiffened behind her and she then felt warm sprays inside of her. Her body began to shudder unruly in response. Rick pressed himself deeper in her at this moment and her toes curled and locked in their position. Tears surged to her eyes….she pushed back on him in defiance. She felt Rick bucked against her as more warm liquid fill her up. At this rate..she's going to get pregnant again very very soon.*************

Dr Bryce was preparing to leave to go back to the Hilltop when Renee and Negan walked unto the hall of the Sanctuary. Neil spoke to Negan briefly while Dr Bryce went over to bid farewell to Renee.

"Is everything ok?"

He looked at Negan and then at her.

"Yeah… He's grieving and in pain. He doesn't know how to deal with it."

"Can you handle it...handle him?"

"I didn't realized how badly he was affect by my miscarriage. He was really looking forward to having this baby. But yes, I can handle him."

"As your doctor I need to ask. Are you planning to try again? To get pregnant?"

Renee looked at him melancholy.

"We both know that my body needs rest...so no. We haven't even had sex since….."

Renee's voice trailed off as she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"No. No baby in the works anytime soon."*************

Negan stood at the entrance as Renee hugged Dr Bryce and he got into the car. They both watched as the car drove off. Renee was walking back inside past Negan when suddenly he grabbed and began hugging her tightly. She hugged him back, running her hands through his hair to calm him.

"I'm here..I'm here! Everything is going to be alright."

He hugs her tighter.******************

"Aaron! Behind you!" Jesus screamed as he saw a cluster of walkers heading towards his friend.

Aaron heard Jesus's shout but he was too busy fighting two walkers that fell on top of him. Jesus himself was battling a few walkers of his own. They were searching for supplies in an abandoned warehouse when the floor caved in under Aaron, sending him into a wave of walkers below. Without hesitation, Jesus jumped in and they have been battling walkers for ten minutes.

After cutting in half his walkers, Jesus went to Aaron's assistance just in time to see another walker fell on top of him. Jesus dived towards him and quickly severed one of the walker's head in one swipe and pulled the other off of Aaron. Jesus pulled Aaron to his feet and put their backs together. It was then they realized that they were completely surrounded and that there was no way out. They looked at each other.

"We have to fight through this!"

"How?!" Aaron asked desperately.

"I don't know...but I am not going to die down here. Not like this!" Jesus looked at him. "Ready?"

"No."

They braced themselves for the wave of walkers advancing on them. Aaron began to panic.

"There's too many of them!"

"Then we go down fighting!"

Aaron nodded and they rushed into the herd, swinging and chopping. Limbs were falling everywhere but it felt like it wasnt making a difference in the crowd. As their backs were being pushed against the wall, each man thought about their home. Aaron thought about Alexandria and all the friends and loved ones he will be leaving behind. He will especially miss Maggie who he has come to love like a sister. If he had one wish it would be to see all the children back home..especially Elsa to plant a big wet kiss on her.

As Jesus kept fighting alongside Aaron he thought about the Hilltop, his home. They were a small tight knit group. Although they were not skilled in combat like him, he saw them as his equal, all with varying but important skills of their own...those who farmed crops and raised livestock, the blacksmiths, the supply runners and Dr Bryce and his expertise as a doctor. He will hate to die without seeing them one more time.

Suddenly three walkers fell from the hole in the floor above them. Aaron was about to bury his machete in the skull of one of them when the other suddenly grabbed his arm and pushed him back hard against to wall. Aaron looked at the walker and smelt dead flesh but the eyes...the eyes were living eyes. The walker released him and put a hand up to it's lips..a knife gripped in the other.

Jesus and Aaron looked at each other confused as the three walkers moved quickly and effortlessly through the crowd. It was like they were invisible and in a matter of minutes they were the only ones standing... bodies scattered everywhere. The walkers now turned back to where Jesus and Aaron stood with their backs firmly against the wall. Aaron held out his machete between him and the advancing trio.

"What the f*ck?!" Aaron muttered under his breath.

Jesus glanced over to him, slightly amused as he had never heard Aaron used such language before, but given what they had just witnessed it was clearly warranted. The three walkers stopped and began tearing at their dead flesh. A sigh of relief washed over Jesus and Aaron at the sight of a familiar face.*******************

The five men stared at each other for what seems like forever..Aaron and Jesus in awe...the other three men in indifference.

'Were you bitten?" The largest of the three asked.

"No."

"Good. Let's get out of here. My people are waiting for me." Jesus and Aaron looked up through the gaping hole in the floor above them and saw another familiar female face looking down on them. She threw down a rope for them.

"Climb!" The man instructed.****************

Jesus and Aaron were relieved to be breathing fresh air again. They saw a small group gathered in the distance. One of the men took both Aaron's and Jesus's bags and handed it to the woman. She looked inside briefly, nodded and smiled at her companions. She and the other men began walking ahead...Jesus and Aaron followed without question.

"How did you find us?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

"We have been following you for awhile."

"Why didn't you say something?"

"Why should we?"

The large man was clearly the leader of the group. The others was ignoring them.

"We came back but you wasn't there."

"I gave you two days."

Aaron and Jesus said nothing for a couple of seconds until a thought hit Aaron.

"We have to go back there. We left food up in the trees."

"I know."

"What? How?"

"Because I was there. Saw when you left it."

Both Jesus and Aaron was stunned at the relevation. They don't recall seeing anyone...human or walker when they were at the site.

"But we didn't see anyone."

The man made no reply only to glance at them.

"Oh...because it was only you there."

They finally reached the group and immediately the children began swarming the woman. She distributed the food from one of the knapsacks to them. Aaron and Jesus watched sorrowful as the children ate wolvishly. The woman gave the teenage girl some food. She refused and gestured for the woman to give a small child standing nearby her share which the woman did. The teenager caught Jesus looking at her curiously and she frowned. He turned away.

As Aaron looked at the hungry children, he couldn't help but think of all the little ones back home...Elsa, Caleb, Robyn, Judith and the twins Avery and Dominic. He remember when he first encountered Rick and his group with a very young Judith wondering aimlessly on the road. Although at the time he had made up his mind to take them back to Alexandria, if he was honest to himself, it was mainly because of Judith that really influenced his decision.

"Come back with us!" Aaron said. "We have room for all of you."

The woman turned to face them then glanced at their leader.

"If not...our offer still stands. You help us and in exchange you will get food to feed your people."

The man looked at his group and then to the woman who nodded slightly.

"Ok. But we put down camp here for the night and tomorrow we will go to yours." The man walked up to Aaron and Jesus seriously invading their personal space. " Be warned...if I get a hint that something is off with your people I will personally gut and skin you alive."

"Ok. Now that we got the pleasantries out of the way let's make formal introductions. I'm Aaron and this is Jesus."

The man cock his head to the side.

"My name is Paul but everyone calls me Jesus."

"This is Ingrid." He said pointing to the woman and he pointed to the two other men who was with him when he rescued them from the walker herd. "That's Izul and Faris." Then he pointed to the teenager. "That's Lydia."

"And you are?"

"I'm Beta."


	61. Chapter 61

**Chapter 61: "Unbreakable"**

The evening sun was just beginning to set and Jesus and Aaron watched as Beta and his group set up camp for the night. Aaron noticed that Beta's first and primary concern was the safety and protection of the group. Izul, Faris and a couple of the other men started perimeter checks and setting up traps to warn them of impending danger.

Ingrid and Lydia was directly in charge of the children. Since they were already fed they cleared a spot for them to sleep. Aaron took note of this and he likes what he sees. After an hour they were engulfed in darkness except for a fire that was burning in the midst of them. All of the children were asleep under the close and watchful eyes of Ingrid and Lydia.

"The both of you will sleep here." Beta told Aaron and Jesus, pointing to a spot.

They were a couple steps away from the rest of the group but still within the camp's perimeter range. They lay on the ground. Soon, Izul and Faris took their position on either side of them whilst another man took his position to the back of them. Both Aaron and Jesus realized that they were being guarded.************

Half an hour later, their camp was settled but not everyone was asleep. Jesus caught Lydia looking at them pointedly….very intensely. It was abundantly clear that she doesn't trust them and like Beta, will be keeping a close eye on them as much as she can. Beta was opposite them at the far right sitting against a large tree looking over everyone.

Through the flicker of the camp fire flames, Aaron could see that Beta was tired. Ingrid had moved and she was now sleeping, her head resting on his lap. He gently stroke her matted, dirty hair. Aaron looked at Jesus who wasted no time at falling asleep. He slowly closed his eyes...trying to do the same.***********

Beta careful watched over his group, his family. His eyes glanced over at Aaron who had just closed his eyes. He passes his eyes over every single person before him. His eyes locked on Lydia whose eyes was focused on their new arrivals. She turned to watch him, he nodded and she closed her eyes.

He now glanced down at the woman in his lap. He pulled her hair from her face and seeing that she was still asleep he slipped his thigh from under her, gently placed it on Aaron's empty knapsack. He stood up, surveyed the group again and slipped into the night.****************

It didn't take long for Ingrid to realize that she was alone. Instantly her head spun around to the right and saw her target disappearing into the trees. She quickly and quietly followed.*************

He immediately knew that he wasn't alone.

"You should get some rest."

"So should you."

"I'm good."

"Barely."

Beta turned and faced Ingrid. The moon gave just enough light on them for him to see her worried face.

"So what are we going to do?"

"I don't know."

"Do you trust them?"

"I don't trust anyone."

"True."

"But?"

Ingrid smiled. She knew Beta knew she wanted to say more.

"The children."

"Yeah. I know."

"And Lydia too."

"I know!"

There was a couple of seconds of silence between them.

"I don't trust them but I think they are being straight with us."

Beta squinted his eyes at her. "Really?"

"Yeah..really. I don't think they are like the others."

"You can't be sure of that."

"What I am sure of is that they are clean, sheltered and well fed and are offering some of that to us." She put her hands on his chest. "What I am sure of is that the children need this..Lydia needs this..all of us. We can't keep wandering around out here."

She hugged him.

"We can trust them….we have to."**************

Abe, Glen, Daryl and Olivia took turns during the night to keep on duty while the others slept. Although, it takes a couple of hours to reach the ammunition factory, in order to not risk being seen they took several detours and back tracked many times to make sure that they were not followed. It is now night and they set up a small camp in the woods. Glen looked around.

"I think we are good."

"Yeah..for now."

They heard the crackling of twigs and spun around, pointed their guns in the direction of the noise.

"It's just us!" The voice called out.

Soon Olivia came out with two owls slung over her shoulder closely followed by Daryl. She handed them to him and he began to immediately de-feather and clean them.

"Hmmm, pretty soon she wouldn't even need you to go hunting." Glen observed.

"She doesn't need me now!"

"Oh come on. I will always need Daryl." She said smiling down at Daryl as he worked on their dinner.

Abe and Glen looked at each other sideways. Twenty minutes later the trio was almost done chowing down on their dinner. Ten minutes later Abe did one last perimeter check and then they went to bed.**************

Immediately after they had returned home after her miscarriage at the Hilltop, Renee caught Negan several times staring at her while she was sleeping. She had asked him many times if he was ok which he always replied in the affirmative.

However it seems that Dr Bryce's visit yesterday brought everything to the surface. Although everything is out in the open and she and Negan have talked, it was now she who is watching him while he sleeps. Quietly, she slipped from his arms and went out into the corridor.

The sanctuary was quiet except for the occasional voices of guards who was patrolling the compound. Renee walked down the length of the corridor and peeped into Jasmine's room. She was asleep...alone. Just the way Renee likes it.

Although Jasmine is dating Trent, Jasmine had expressed to her that she wasn't quite comfortable sleeping in the same room as him as yet and Renee wouldn't have it any other way. She walked back to her room. Negan hadn't moved from the position she had left him.

She went into the bathroom, closed the door and put on the lights. She took off her top and began examining her body. Her side is healing very nicely and her ribs are still tender to the touch. There are visible marks on her breast. Slowly one hand slipped down to where life use to be.

A wave of emotions engulfed her suddenly...fright, anger, hate and most powerful of all….grief. She covered her mouth with her free hand to stifle the cry creeping up in her throat and it choked her. She dropped to her knees and held on to the edge of the bathroom sink with both hands.

A barely audible cry escaped her lips. She closed her eyes tightly but still the tears escaped and ran freely down her face.

"My baby….my baby." She silently sobbed.

Lost in her grief, Renee didn't hear when the bathroom door open and closed behind her. She only felt a warm body pressed up against her as strong hands covered hers on the edge of the sink. Those hands interlocked its fingers between hers and pulled both hands down to rest gently on her womb. Renee threw her head back and it fit snuggly in the nape of his neck. She now cried openly.

"I'm sorry!"

Negan kissed her tear soaked cheek and began to gently rock their bodies together.

"I am too."***************

Rick sucked up all of her juices as her legs quivered uncontrollably. Michonne reached down and gently grabbed a fistful of hair attached to the head that was viciously eating her out.

"Wait!" She said barely above a whisper.

Rick snaked his tongue over her slippery centre up to her clit and back down again agonizingly slow.

"Wait!"

He ignored her and shoved in his warm tongue as far as he could.

"Shit!" Michonne mouthed as her legs started trembling again.

Rick pulled out his tongue to look at Michonne's face as she orgasmed. He loved the way her eyes closed with lips parted and how rapidly she breathe in an attempt to lessen the impact. It never works. He pulled himself up halfway and rest his chin on the base of her tummy. His chest felt good pressed up against her moist center.************

Michonne rode the orgasm wave for at least a minute. It was her third for the night. She exhaled deeply and opened her eyes, only to see a smiling Rick.

"You are too good at that." She giggled.

"You think so? Nah. I think I need more practice."

He made a move to go down on her again.

"Don't you dare!" Michonne said half serious, half smiling. "I'm drained. I can't go anymore."

They looked at each other lovingly for a couple of minutes.

"I love you so much!"

"I love you to Rick."

He inspected her perfect body. He traced his index finger over the c-section scar.

"Don't" Michonne said shyly...softly. "I hate that thing."

"Well I don't. This is your birth scar. This represents Avery and Dominic….one of the best things to happen to us! I love this scar!"

Michonne pointed to the bullet wound scar just above her right breast.

"You love this one too?"

He could detect a hint of sarcasm in the question. He pointed to his own bullet wound scar.

"Yes. I love yours and mine. You know why? Because it means that you and me are unbreakable. Our family..the twins, Carl, Judith, Abe and his family, Glen and Daryl and theirs, Carol, all of Alexandria. We are unbreakable. Every cut...every bruise is a symbol of who we are, what we can do..what we are capable of."

He pulled himself up so that his face was above hers.

"We are strong."

Michonne smiled up at him and nodded.

"Yes….we are strong."*************

The dawn was breaking fast and Beta and his group was already ready to move off. They had already kill a couple of walkers who had strayed near their camp. Beta stood before Aaron and Jesus.

"Lead the way."************

Abe, Glen, Daryl and Olivia have been watching the ammunition factory for the past fifteen minutes. They parked their cars one minute out and made the rest of the way on foot. On their journey there they back tracked twice to confirm that they weren't followed. Now they are here. They saw Spencer and Reed on perimeter watch but they heard no machinery on. They looked around again and determining that they were alone they began their trek out of the woods towards the factory.*************

Reed was the first to hear twigs breaking. He squinted through the trees, his finger on the trigger. Spencer followed. He smiled when he saw the intruders.***********

Abe and the others walked up the track cautiously. Soon Vicki, Eugene and Dharia came out to greet them. Daryl greeted them.

"Is everything ok?" Vicki asked.

"Start packing. We are taking you home."***************


	62. Chapter 62

**Chapter 62: "Secrets"**

Jesus and Aaron made their way home through the woods followed by Beta and his group. Beta, Izul and Faris walked closely behind them as the other men flanked to their far right, far left and to the back. Ingrid, Lydia and the children was placed in the middle. They were walking in silence for about an hour when Ingrid called time out.

"The children need to rest. They can't go on."

Izul accosted Aaron.

"Which direction are we heading from here?"

"Straight ahead until we meet a small stream."

Izul nodded and he and four other men scouted ahead. Ingrid had already begun sharing the food from the other knapsack that was taken from them. This time Lydia ate. Ingrid walked over and offer some food to Beta but he shook his head.

"I'll eat when I get to their camp. Give it to one of the other men."

"You haven't eaten since yesterday." Ingrid protested.

From the look of her face Beta could see that she wasn't giving up. He took a large bite out of the sandwich to Ingrid's delight. When she gestured for him to take one more he took another small bite.

"Satisfied?"

"Yes!" she said as she began eating the rest.

Aaron and Jesus looked on at the group and their dynamics.

"So what do you think?" Aaron whispered.

"I think this is as good as it gets. It don't think they will stay. This is good and bad."

"I see the good. We get our Negan problem solved..but the bad?"

"The bad is if they can't be trusted, we would have just added another problem on our plate."**************

It took them about forty five minutes to pack most of the ammo in the car. Now, a sad Eugene looked upon the place that he have called home for more than a year. Vicki gently tugged at his arm.

"We have to go." She whispered.

"Eugene!" Glen called out. "We need to leave! Now!"

Vicki pulled a solemn Eugene to the car and they began their journey home.***************

Izul returned to the camp.

"Everything is clear up ahead. The other are keeping a lookout until we catch up to the stream."

"Good."

Beta looked back to see that Ingrid and Lydia had already readied the children to begin their journey again. She looked at him and he gave the signal to move off. They were on the move again.**************

Renée's brutal conversation with him about the way he threatened Rick and his people affected Negan more than he care or even wanted to admit. She told him to 'fix this.' What does she mean? He is not giving up control of Alexandria or the Hilltop communities and he still wants half their stuff. That isn't going to change.

They belonged to him. As for his threats...he only uses them as a measure to stamp or weed out any mutiny. He didn't have to use much threats with the Hilltop because they are not fighters but Rick? Rick and his group are and their attacks on his camps show that they are clearly willing to go all out to protect what is theirs...their home and the people.

Threatening people like Rick and Red and the others doesn't work but threats to their family and loved ones does...and that's what he did. Rick and his people could be problems….he doesn't like problems...he doesn't need problems. He also doesn't need Renee pissed off at him either. He called Marcus over.

"Tell the men to keep patrolling but leave Rick and his people alone. Do not approach them for any reason whatsoever."

Marcus looked at him curiously.

"Just do it!"

Negan turned and saw Renee looking him a couple of feet away. She smiled and nodded at him. She was pleased..and he was pleased that she was pleased.*************

It was nightfall when Glen and Abe in the panel van carrying the ammunition cautiously made their way to Alexandria. Closely following behind them was Daryl and Olivia in the other vehicle. No one thought it possible to fit three people in the trunk of a car and two more people in the back seat hidden.

It didn't hurt however to have the cover of the pitch black sky. When Ned opened the gates, Olivia drove straight to Rick's house and parked behind while Glen went straight for the armoury. Abe had dropped out a few seconds earlier to gather two men to help with the offloading of their cargo. Rick also joined them.

When Eugene, Vicki, Spencer, Dharia and Reed entered the Grimes house they were immediately greeted by giant hugs, tears and kisses in the kitchen. Carol, Maggie, Rosita, Sasha, Tara, Carl, Enid and some other ladies were already there waiting for them.

After ten minutes of greeting Eugene and the others they went to the group of children in the living room. On a large comforter on the floor sat Judith, Robyn, Caleb, Elsa and in their mother's arms also on the floor, Avery and Dominic. Dharia and Vicki bursted into tears of joy and cooed over the children.

Robyn was unusually shy tonight but when she saw how her cousins were grabbing up all the attention she slowly came out of her shell. Then they approached Michonne who was expertly balancing the twins in her arms. Vicki and Dharia took them and turn to the others.

"They are so perfect!"

Vicki quipped through tears as she nuzzled Dominic in her arms. He shrieked out laughing as the others looked on. Not to be out done, Avery cooed for Dharia's attention. Dharia brought her face down for Avery to touch and this delighted her. She too screamed out.

Eugene, Spencer and Reed each took turns hugging Michonne.

"Welcome home." She said to each of them. Eugene hugged her again. "We missed you guys so much!"

"We missed you too! The babies are so gorgeous!"

Michonne smiled richly. The crowd had now moved to the living room and they gathered on the sofa with the children between them. Eugene now had Avery and Spencer and Reed was now playfully fighting over who gets to hold Dominic. Michonne moved to the kitchen to prepare drinks and snacks to share out. Enid soon joined her and saw the solemn look on her face.

"Are you alright?"

Michonne smiled lightly.

"Yes. Everything is good."

Carl now was laughing loudly with Reed and it grabbed their attention. Michonne glanced over and saw Enid blushing.

"Love him hard."

"What?"

"I said...love him hard! He's stubborn and opinionated just like his father. Don't be afraid to call him out on his bullshit and you don't have to agree with everything that he says. Just simply state your opinion on an issue and allow them to make the decision. Trust them to make the right decision and even if they don't...still stand by them."

Enid now turned and faced her future mother-in-law.

"He's the one. I just know it."

"Ah..the one. Very few of us are lucky to find the elusive ' _the one'_ especially in times like these."

A smile escaped her lips.

"When did you know Mr Grimes was the one?"

"When I first met Rick, he was the sweaty man with a great head of curls and looked good in jeans who rescued me from walkers outside of the prison gates. Well...I'm sure you heard the stories. Anyway...Rick and I always had this silent communication thing going on. We seemed to always know what the other was thinking or what the other wanted to do. That is very rare to be so in sync with someone that no words are needed...only a glance or a look is enough."

Enid could see Michonne was trying not to blush talking about Rick.

"Who fell in love first?"

Michonne was slightly taken aback by the direct question. Enid pretended not to notice. Michonne thought about it for a minute while she arranged the sandwiches on the plate.

"I don't know but I could only speak for me. So from my perspective…. I think I did. Not right away though. It was something that was building up over a period of time. It really came to a head when the Claimers threatened to rape me and Carl infront of him. Rick ripped that guy's throat clean out with such savagery and yet it was so graceful. I think my feeling really started to come to the surface then."

Enid chuckled.

"What?"

"Carl said it was Rick who fell in love first!"

"Carl?" Michonne eyed her. "Wait! You and Carl tag teamed us..didn't you?"

Enid smiled shyly.

"It's ok." Michonne stepped closer to her. "So….what did Rick say?"

"He said that you were the only one who noticed that he was seeing things...people and said that it was ok...because you saw them too."

Michonne was touched that he remembered that.

"He said that you intrigued him the minute you showed up with the baby formula for Judith and have been trying to get your attention since then. He only knew that you were paying attention to him on that day."

Michonne does recall Rick's subtle advances but at the time she chalked it up to a man who was still grieving for his wife. Michonne laughed.

"He did push me away though..or tried to."

"Yeah. Carl said Rick told him that was the biggest mistake of his life and that he was glad that you didn't take heed and actually left the prison."

"I am glad I didn't left too."

Both ladies look at the gathering before them.

"I love him so much." Enid said looking at Carl. "And I know he loves me too." She turned to Michonne. "What advice can you give me?"

"Just keep doing what you are doing now. Love him, cherish him, support and be there for him. And remember let him do the same for you. Comfort him when he's down and let him comfort you when you are down. Marriage is a partnership...a team..give and take, compromises. But the most important thing is when you guys have a disagreement...work it out…. _together._ Don't ever let any third party come between you...ever. Marriage is between two people not three. Once you open that door..it rarely gets closed and if it does...the damage is already done."

Enid absorbed the strong advice she was given. She then took a plate of sandwiches and headed over to the group. When Carl saw her he quickly rose to his feet and walked over to her. He whispered in her ear, she nodded and he took the plate from her hands and began sharing it out. Enid came back for the other plate. She gave Michonne a hug and taking the plate she winked.

"Teamwork."*************

Abe, Glen, Daryl, Rick and a few other people was packing the ammo in the armoury.

"Any trouble out there?"

"No."

"You didn't see any saviours?"

"No. That was strange. Even if they saw us, they didn't approach."

Rick looked thoughtful.

"You think we should be worried?"

"I don't know."************

 _ **Two days later…**_

"Wait here." Jesus commanded.

Beta grabbed and pushed him up against a nearby tree...twisting his arm in the process.

"What is this? A trap?!"

"No! I have to check to see if it is safe to proceed. We need to stop by one of our safe houses before we go to home!" Jesus gasped out.

Aaron looked on tensely but stood still knowing that he too would also be tackled by the looks on Izul and Faris's face. Beta looked at over at him.

"He's telling the truth!"

Jesus was slowly released.

"I'm going too."

Jesus said nothing for a few seconds looking at Aaron.

"Dont look at him. It's not an option."

Jesus took off sprinting, Beta close on his heels.***************

Aaron and Jesus looked at Beta and his group standing in the living room of the safe house. Ingrid was clearly the most impressed as she hugged Beta. He couldn't read the rest of them. The children huddled around Lydia's feet looking up to her for guidance. Aaron broke the eerie silence.

"There are three bedrooms upstairs and a spare room downstairs. There is running water and some clothes in the closet. But I don't know if there is enough for all of you."

No one said anything. Ingrid approached Aaron.

"What about food? Do you have food?"

Aaron smiled at her and walking over to the pantry, opened two large doors. It was filled with food. The children rushed over and began raiding the cupboard. Lydia followed them and ushering the children aside began making careful selection of the tin items...tuna, beans, tomatoes. One of the children held out a package and on inspection Lydia saw that it was pasta and she smiled. It was the first time she saw her smile. As a matter of fact, Aaron had never heard her utter a word since they met.

"The kitchen is that way." Jesus volunteered, pointing to the left. Lydia took some more tin foods and headed in the direction given followed by the eager children. Seconds later, pot and pans can be heard in the kitchen. The rest of the occupants looked at each other. Ingrid's quiet sobs was then heard in a corner. Beta walked over and knelt down infront of her.

"I'm sorry."

He kissed her forehead, glancing over at the others

"It's ok." He whispered to her.

She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close.

"We are safe...the children are safe."****************

It was late evening and one hour later the dinner table was laden with food. Ingrid and Lydia had prepared a feast with what they found in the pantry. There was pasta and tuna pie, with a side of either baked beans, or black eyed peas. Tomatoes, pickles and cucumbers was sliced thinly and tossed in a salad with canned corn.

Tin pickled pigs feet and cow tongue was also sauteed with some fresh herbs that was found out in the yard. Everyone was freshly washed and some of the men, including Beta remain shirtless in order for Ingrid and Lydia to be fully clothed. The children was served first and Ingrid insisted that they sit at the table.

She then gave the ok and the other men dug in. They filled their plate and stormed the living room..throwing themselves on the floor and sofa...digging in their plates immediately. The children were quiet, eating furiously, Ingrid scolding them many times for their table manners. Lydia was also at the table eating.

"It's ok." Aaron said to Ingrid.

The only person who wasn't eating was Beta. Instead he stood at a vantage point in the corner of the room, looking on at everyone. Ingrid quietly brought him a plate, holding one in her hand for herself.

"You promised."

Taking the plate from her, he slid to the ground. Ingrid followed and together they began eating. Some of the other men was already on their second helping.*********************

The night had stepped in and the children were fast asleep in one of the rooms while most of the men chose to sleep in the living and dining room area. Lydia slept with the children. The rest of the men occupied the upstairs middle room and Aaron and Jesus took the upstairs end room. The house was quiet as Aaron and Ingrid met up in the corridor as she checked in on Lydia and the children.

"Thank you for everything. You don't know how much this means to…" She began tearing up again. Aaron hugged her. "Thank you for coming...to help us."

She nodded as she looked down at Beta standing watch in the dark at the living room window. A sliver of moonlight shone dimly on his face through the curtains. She saw the concerned look on his face.

"We are not going to hurt you. We just want a safe place...somewhere to call home again."

They then felt eyes and turned to see Beta looking at them.

"Goodnight." Ingrid said quickly as she bounced downstairs and headed for the bedroom. Beta followed and closed the door.************

"You think we made the right decision ...bring them here..to Alexandria?"

It was Jesus who spoke from the sofa in the bedroom. Aaron was looking at the ceiling from the bed.

"It's too late now..isn't it..but yes. I think we made the right decision.**************

"We should tell them...about the others. They could be tracking us. They could track us here...and find us."

"We don't know that."

Ingrid sat up abit upset now.

"Yes we do!"

Beta pulled Ingrid close to his chest to comfort her.

"We have to tell them." She whispered.****************

"You think he's alive?"

"Of course he's alive! He's only sleeping."

"It's been two days."

"So? Not many of us have had a good night's rest for weeks. He out of all of us deserves this!"

The four men stood around Beta's bed watching him.

"What are you doing?"

They turned around to see Ingrid looking at them pissed.

"Get out!"

The men hurried left the room. Ingrid looked on at the peacefully sleeping man and closed the door as she exited.**************

It was the midday heat that woke him up. He staggered out of the room still drunk from sleep. The savoury smell of food cooking filled his nostrils. The cloudy sleep from his eyes slowly dissipated to the sight of everyone happily eating lunch. The mood had lighten significantly and he was grateful for that. Ingrid brought him a plate.

"I'm not hungry."

"But you haven't eaten for two days."

He looked at her confused.

"What are you talking about?"

Ingrid looked at the snickering men behind her.

"You have been sleeping for two days!"

"What?!" Beta roared startling the children.

Ingrid pushed Beta back into the room.

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"Why? Clearly you needed the rest so I let you."

"Where's Aaron and Jesus?"

"They're outside."

Beta tried to push past Ingrid but she blocked the doorway.

"Eat first."******************

Aaron and Jesus could see that Beta was pissed that he was allowed to sleep for so long. Aaron went on the defence immediately.

"Ingrid said to leave you to sleep and we did!"

"When can we leave?"

"As soon as you are."***************

Aaron, Jesus, Beta and his group stood outside the gates of Alexandria waiting for it to be opened. Abe looked down at his comrades. He nodded to them and gave the signal for the gates to be opened. The children were beyond excited as they heard the flurry of activities going on inside. The gates slowly opened and they cautiously walked inside, looking around at their new surroundings. Beta and his people was blown away by what they saw inside. Ingrid subtle squeezed Beta's hand as she looked up at him.

"We have to tell them."

Aaron turned to face them as the group as the gate close shut behind them.

"Welcome to Alexandria."


	63. Chapter 63

**Chapter 63: "Suitability"**

Beta and his group was quickly ushered to one of the empty houses under the watchful eyes of several men..one of them being Rick, the community's leader. The house was also heavily guarded. Beta didn't like the idea of all his people in one single isolated place, bunched so closely together, where they can be easily slaughtered, but given what's at stake he didn't have a choice. Besides, Aaron and Jesus gave him no reason to believe that any harm will come to them.

' _It's just a precaution.' Aaron had reassured him._

For the porch of the house Beta surveyed the community which his people are suppose to help. The children can barely sit still as they saw the community park had swings and slides. Ingrid too, couldn't contain her excitement about all the possibilities and maybe the actual prospect of living here. She was now standing next to Beta.

"It's so nice here. Don't you think?"

Beta felt her hopeful grey eyes staring up at him. He knew if possible, she wanted to stay here, for herself…but more importantly, she wanted to stay for the children...for Lydia.

"Yeah. It seems nice."

"So…" She linked her hand in his. "There is a chance we could stay?"

Beta knew she wanted to hear those words ' _Yes..we are staying',_ directly from his mouth but the way that he is feeling right now..he doesn't trust anyone. The only reason he decided to come was to get food for his group...they were starving….the children were.

Aaron and Jesus have been honest and straightforward with them from the start and maybe these people can be trusted but he still had his reservations.

Plus, if he was to seriously consider Ingrid's instinct on the dangerous threat that could be pursuing them then it is probably best to get what they came for and move on. She playfully squeezed his hand.

"Atleast say you'll consider it."

Glancing at her briefly, he nodded his head. Soon a man came up to them.

"Rick wants to see you later...at the church. One of the men will escort you there when he is ready."

"Ok!"

Ingrid answered quickly to Beta's raised eyebrows. The man acknowledged her reply and left. When the man was out of earshot Ingrid turned Beta so that they faced each other.

"In your meeting with Rick, should the opportunity arise promise me that you will tell them about the others. Even if you decide that we are not staying..they need to know what we potentially brought to their doorsteps."

"Ok. If the opportunity presents itself I will tell them. Happy?!"

She hugged him.

"Very."***********

When Rick sent the message to their potential new allies he stood in the porch, binocular in hand watching. The woman seemed excited while the man was more reserved. The man was quietly observing them the same way Rick was observing him. He went inside to talk with Aaron and Jesus about their new arrivals.************

"Is this the same people who you had encountered before...the ones you told me about?"

"Not the ones on horse back. The other group. Yes."

"Where did you find them?"

"They found us actually." Aaron said, his voice loaded with gratefulness.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…" Aaron said, "If it wasn't for them..we would have been dead."

As the words washed over him, Rick glanced at Jesus who nodded as confirmation of what Aaron just said.

"Explain."

Jesus took over at this point.

"When we took the food to take back to them as a gesture of good faith they were already gone. Beta gave us two days but we came back in three. Aaron suggested we leave the food in one of trees just in case they came back, which we did. We spent almost two weeks out there searching and hoping to find them again with no success. We ended up at a warehouse. While searching to find anything useful the floor caved in under Aaron and there were a lot of walkers in the basement of the warehouse. I jumped in to help him fend them off but there was too many. We really thought that it was over for us. Then three 'walkers' fell in from above us. Aaron was about to stabbed one of them when another one grabbed his hand and pushed him against the wall."

They literally saw the confusion on Rick's face. Aaron now cut it to explain further.

"It was Beta and two of his men."

"You just said it was walkers." Rick corrected him.

"The skins Rick! Beta and his men were wearing the skins of the walkers!"*********

Around a campfire a large group of people huddled atogether. Nearby, a woman could be heard screaming. The group however was unnerved by the frightening sound.*********

"Please don't!"

The woman screamed as she tries to fight off her attackers. Another woman stood a couple of steps away from the commotion, unfazed as four men viciously tear the woman's clothes off of her.

"Oh God!"

The men was laughing as the woman cries for them to stop.

"Please!"

The frightened woman was completely naked now and she looked up terrified at the other woman looking on as the men circled her like when a predator have finally caught up with it's prey.

"Why are you doing this?!" The woman whimpered.

The men looked at the other woman.

"This will make you strong!" The woman said expressionless as her cold black eyes burrowed into the woman. She nodded and the men advanced on their victim.

"No! No! Pleaseeeee!"

They grabbed her and after a couple of seconds or so of futile resistance they flipped her on her stomach on the ground. One man held her hands in front of her as two others held her feet open..spread eagled. A fourth man kneeled down between her legs and he pulled down his pants.

The woman looked up at the other...her eyes silently pleading with her to stop this. The man kneeling down between the woman's legs looked up. The woman looking on nodded. The man violently pushed their victim's face into the dirt, pressed his midsection against hers and pushed up….hard. They others was smiling impatiently...waiting for their turn.************

Rick squinted his eyes at Aaron's last statement and Aaron saw his skepticism.

"It's similar to what you did..using walker guts to move between the walkers. These people actually wear the skins as suits to camouflage themselves Rick. You wouldn't even know the difference unless you look at their eyes. They completely blend in. They moved so quickly among the herd killing all of them."

"They saved us Rick." Jesus added.

Rick processed this information.

"Rick?"

"I think I will meet this Beta now."**********

Beta and Ingrid, who insisted on coming to the meeting stood before Rick, Aaron and Jesus in the church. Abe, Glen and Daryl stood at the east, west and south entrances...armed. Rick was armed as well.

Both men appeared to be sizing up one another but if Rick is honest to himself there was clearly no contest. Although, it was evident that Beta and his group was out there for quite some time as seen by their gaunt appearance...if there was to be a fight between these two Rick would probably get his ass beat.

Now that he has mentally processed that fact, Rick knew that Beta was in a very vulnerable position and clearly he was willing to put himself at risk to achieve his aim of feeding his people and that he can respect.

Ingrid looked around the church and she tried her best to contain her excitement...all the possibilities of actually living here. It would be nice for them to finally settle down..to have actual shelter from the elements and have a few peaceful nights of sleep.

She looked around and saw that all the entrances were guarded but that's ok. They don't pose any threat to these people. She turned her attention back to Beta and Rick.

"Beta...right?"

Beta nodded.

"How many walkers have you killed?"

Beta looked at Aaron and Jesus.

"I know they've asked you these questions already but I want to hear the answers for myself. So..how…"

"Alot." Beta said cutting him off.

"How…"

"Look Rick. I killed alot of walkers, alot of people and why? Because they were trying to kill me and my people." Beta looked at Rick fearless. "Any more questions?"

There was silence in the church. Both men glared at each other.

"Were you with a group before?"

"Yes."

"What happened to them?"

"We left."

"Why?"

Beta said nothing for a few minutes. Ingrid stepped closed to him. ' _This is the perfect time to tell them Beta. Tell them!' Ingrid's voice was screaming in her head._ Rick's eyes narrowed at them.

"Why?!"

Beta looked at Ingrid, her eyes pleaded with him.

"Because they are not good people and they tried to hurt people I care about."

"Why didn't you kill them?"

"I would have if I could have but it wasn't the right time. I had other things to consider."

"Like what?"

"The safety of the children."

Rick stance softened abit.

"Would you kill them if you got a chance?"

Beta smiled.

"Most definitely."

Rick nodded..pleased by the answer.

"Do you have any questions for me?"

"I am here because your people told me that you have a problem. In exchange for helping you with this problem I get to feed my group. Is that correct?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"When this problem is solved, what are your intentions? Do you want to stay or move on."

"It depends."

"On what?"

Beta looked down at a smiling Ingrid and then back at Rick.

"What I find here."***********

The woman looked on, neither pleased or annoyed as the third man rolled off the bloodied and bruised woman in the dirt. She was too tired...she couldn't fight back anymore and only groaned as the fourth man roughly rolled her on her back.

He bent her legs at the knees, spreading them shockingly wide...preparing her for the taking. The woman looked up..muddied at the spectators. She then let out a whimpered and closed her eyes as the man began rammed himself into her. The other men laughed as their leader walked back to their camp.

"She will be strong after this." The group's leader muttered to herself. "She will be strong."************


	64. Chapter 64

**Chapter 64: "Whole Truths"**

The four men brought the semi unconscious woman back to the camp. She was on the shoulder of the first man who violated her...he was the largest among them. He roughly dropped her on the ground in front of their leader. The woman looked down at the badly beaten and bleeding woman. She kneeled down and brushed the woman's hair from her face.

"I know it was painful but in the end it will make you better and stronger for this world. We as women need to be strong."

The woman spat in her face. One of the men who raped her began stomping her all over her body. The woman balled herself up in a fetal position to absorb the blows as best as she can. She couldn't breathe. After a couple of minutes their leader stopped them. The woman lay limp in the dirt. Their leader whispered in the broken woman's ear.

"As a woman I get it. This isn't easy for you to get use to but this is the way it is. I should have these men have a go at you again for what you just did."

"Oh God! Please don't! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The woman begged,

"But you need to be punished."

"Anything but that! Please!"

She looked up at the men who was eagerly waiting for the word to drag her back into the forest to violate her again."

The leader rose to her feet, contemplating.

"What's it gonna be Alpha?" The larger of the men, Kong asked.

The three other men circled the woman again, who cried and weakly crawled to Alpha and held on to her leg for life itself.

"Pleaseee! Pleaseee! Mercy!" The woman cried out.

Alpha looked around the camp...everyone who dares to was looking on. She couldn't afford to look weak in front of them.

"Skin her!" She commanded. "Not her whole body...just her arm. It will a constant reminder to her."

Kong wasn't pleased with the decision but he was not about to disobey Alpha.

"Take her!" He shouted to the other men.

They dragged the woman off to a nearby tree stump. The tools of choice was already there. The woman barely put up a fight. She didn't have the strength to. They put her right hand across the tree stump then picked up a large carving knife.

When the woman saw it, it seemed to have given her renewed strength as she began fighting them with the very last ounce of her being. She began screaming again as the knife was viciously inserted in the top of her forearm.

They covered her mouth and began sawing back and forth until they reach halfway down her forearm. In a last act of pure savagery, Kong grabbed hold of the top end of the skin and ripped it down..clean off. The woman's body went into a spasm and became limp. She had passed out from the pain.**************

"So what do you think? Think we can trust them?"

Rick, Abe, Glen and Daryl was walking through the Alexandria, patrolling.

"Not sure yet."

"Seems like they are running from something."

"More like someone...their old group."

"Do think they are dangerous..their old clip?"

"Yeah but to who? We don't know if Beta and his group did something or the old group did something that they didn't like and they left. There are too many unknown."

"I say we just turn them away."

"They have children man!"

"They've survived out there this long...they can go longer."

Glen shook his head in disagreement. Rick smiled. Glen have always been the moral compass of the group….the bleeding heart. He hope it doesn't get him killed one day."

"Let's take a couple of them out on a supply run..see what they are made of. We'll decided after that."

"Sounds like a plan."*************

Beta, Izul and Faris stood on the porch of the house they were now confined to. Rick and his people had just passed them on a patrol through the community. Ingrid and Lydia was in the house trying to keep occupied the children who were very anxious to go outside.

"So?" Faris asked anxiously.

"So what?"

"What did Rick say? Are we in or are we out?"

"Neither. He wanted to know about our last group. Why we left."

Their face ashed.

"What did you tell them?"

"Enough. I didn't want to alarm them."

"Well you should have. Ingrid is right. Rick should know everything."

Beta looked at Faris and then at Izul.

"If we want to stay and I am sure all of us do...we really really should tell them."

Beta nodded.

"I will tell Rick everything."*************

Early the next morning Rick was having breakfast with his family when he received word that Beta wanted to speak to him urgently. Although feeling slightly annoyed, at Michonne's prodding he went to see Beta at the house.

"You wanted to see me?"

"There is something I need to tell you."

Rick squinted his eyes at Beta.

"It's about the group that we were with. You need to know that they are a very dangerous group. We had to leave them. We initially didn't join up with any other group after that out of fear we could have been followed."

Rick felt a ball of anxiety rising up in his throat.

"What have you done?!"

Before Beta could answer Olivia shouted from the guard tower at the north wall.

"Open the gates! Quick!"

Rick glared at Beta and made a mad dash to the gate. Beta followed him. The gates were barely opened when the car roared through.

"Get Tara! Now!"

Marion screamed as they pulled a badly bleeding Ned from the back seat. Soon Abe and Glen was at Rick's side.

"What the hell's going on?" Abe yelled.

Other persons help carried a unconscious Ned to the infirmary. Miles turned angrily towards Beta pointing a bloody finger at him.

"It was one of his people who did this!"

Miles said angrily.

"They had on Walker skins. They attacked us when we were dispatching a herd. Luckily we were able to kill them but Ned is hurt really bad! This is all your fault!"

Rick pulled out his Colt and Python from his waist and pressed it flush against Beta's head.

"Get down on your f*cking knees!"*************

Ingrid had heard the commotion at the gate from inside and hurried to the porch. She saw when a heavily bleeding and unconscious man was carried across the yard into a building. She saw when a man was angrily pointing his hand at Beta and she saw when Rick pulled out his gun and pointed it at Beta's head. Her biggest fears had just come through.

"Nooooooo!"

She screamed and began running from the house towards the gathering at the gate.**************

Beta didn't obey Rick's command. Abe now pointed his gun in Beta's face as well.

"He told you to get on your knees prick!"

The commotion brought almost everyone to the front gate. Ingrid could be heard screaming.

"Please! Don't kill him."

"Bring his people out here..now!" Rick commanded.

Five minutes later all of Beta's people..included the children were lined up. Dozens of Alexandrian guns was trained on them. Ingrid was holding on to Beta crying.

"Put them to kneel down!"

Rick and Beta looked at each other fixed in the eyes...neither men willing to budge from their resolve. The children were crying now..all holding onto Lydia for whatever protection she could provide to them. Ingrid noticed that although Michonne was standing close to Rick, her eyes were fixed on the children. She saw this as an opportunity to beg for mercy. She threw herself at Michonne's feet...startling her.

"Please! We made a mistake! We should have told you! We were trying to protect the children! Give them a safe place! Please!"

Michonne's heart was racing in her chest as she looked down at the pleading woman at her feet. She was torn...torn between keeping her people safe and the idea of sending the children back out there. She thought about her own children. For the first time Michonne didn't know what to do.

"Rick…" She said softly but he heard her.

"No Michonne! I will not let what happened with the Saviours happen again. Never again!"

Rick's words provided a dose of clarity she desperately needed at this point. She dragged the woman to her feet.

"Why should we believe you?!"

"He came to tell Rick!"

"Yeah..but it's a little too late now!"

Beta began to speak.

"Rick.."

"Not...another...word..from you!"

"Rick!"

It was Tara calling out to him from the infirmary. On hearing his name, Rick turned around. It was the perfect opportunity for Beta. In a flash of seconds...he pushed Rick's gun aside and grabbing him by the throat slammed Rick hard on the ground. The wind was knocked out of him. The children screamed.

"Beta! Nooooo!" Ingrid screamed.

"Dad!" Carl screamed.

"Don't you fucking move again!" Daryl screamed pushing his gun in Beta's face "Rick! Are you alright?!"

Seeing her husband laid out on the ground, possibly badly hurt enraged Michonne. She grabbed Ingrid by the hair, dragged her up on her feet and pulling her head back Michone put the katana against her throat. She pulled the sharp blade slightly over Ingrid's jugular and drew a line of blood. Beta stepped back..putting his hands in the air.

None of the other men from Beta's group made any attempt to move. They knew what Beta did..he did to make a point. Yes they are dangerous…but they are not dangerous to the people in Alexandria. Not like the people who Beta was trying to warn Rick about albeit it came a little too late.

"Beta!"

Ingrid whimpered with Michonne blade at her throat.

"Everything will be okay Ingrid. No one else will get hurt today."

Beta looked around and saw the heightened tension..all the guns in the community was trained on him and his people. Michonne kept her eyes fixed on Beta.

"Rick...are you ok?"

Rick lay on the ground, still stunned.

"Rick?"

Beta started to put his hand down and in response Michonne pressed her blade harder against Ingrid's vulnerable neck and drew more blood. Beta slowly put his hand back up.

"Try me Beta. Just try me. I will cut her head off and use it for walker bait!"

Ingrid whimpered harder.

"My hands are tired."

"Kneel."

Beta still refused to budge.

"Not until you hear me out. I could have killed Rick just now. Instead of slamming him to the ground I could have snapped his neck but I didn't."

Michonne glared at him and Beta slowly lowered how hand.

"The people who attacked your friend call themselves the Whisperers."

"Correction Beta.. Your people."

"They are not my people anymore." He pointed to Ingrid and the group on their knees. "These are my people."

Michonne said nothing. Beta continued. Abe and Daryl was helping Rick to his feet.

"We had joined up with these people just over a year ago but we didn't fully understand what we were in for until it was too late. The women in the group are raped repeatedly. When I objected their leader Alpha….."

Beta eyes glistened as he looked at Ingrid.

"She let her men run a train on my wife Ingrid for two nights."

Michonne flinched.

"Your leader is a woman? A woman who condones rape?" Daryl asked genuinely shocked.

"She's not my leader!" Beta shouted at him.

"Calm the f*ck down!" Abe warned.

Beta closed his eyes briefly to calm himself down.

"She kept a close watch on us but we still managed to escape. I lost six of my people. Lydia was part of the Whisperers original group but she helped us escape and made the decision to also come with us. Although she doesn't say much...I think she too was a victim of rape."

Carl and Enid who was standing close by turned and looked at Lydia but she kept her eyes forward.

No one said anything for a couple minutes.

"Why didn't you tell us this at the beginning?" Glen asked.

"Truth be told, I wasn't planning on staying at first."

"What changed your mind?"

"Your people. Jesus and Aaron. They are good people. Plus it helped that despite us leaving they still left the food for us. Ingrid and the children also caused me to reconsider."

"You brought these people to our door! Now one of our own is injured!"

"And that is one me!"

"You damn straight it is."

"If you want to punish someone...punish me. My men and I will leave Alexandria right now but please show mercy to Ingrid, Lydia and the children. Let them stay. We will leave."

"No! You can't leave me!" Ingrid cried.

Michonne pushed her to the ground.

"Hey Beta?"

When Beta turned around Rick clocked him with his Colt and Python….knocking him out.***********


	65. Chapter 65

_**Author's note:**_

 _ **I want to apologize for the delay in the update of this story. The ideas were there but the sequence of the events in which I wanted to present it was a bit jumbled… In the mean time I tried my best to make up for the delay in this story with two others –Mending Fences and Therapy. I also have two other stories in the works… the ideas are flooding my head which I just need to get them down on paper. And again please forgive my delay. I hope this chapter will make up for the absence.**_

 **Chapter 65: "Sacrifice"**

Michonne attended to Rick's bleeding head as he and the others looked on as Tara tried her best to stabilize Ned. Beta has been put into one of the empty houses, separated from the others of his group under heavy guard. The rest of the men of the group have also been separated from Ingrid, Lydia and the children. The women and children remained in the original house that they were given when they first arrived at Alexandria. Everyone was heavily guarded and no one put up any fuss or made any attempt to fight back. Rick flinched as Michonne applied some ointment to the wound on his head.

"Sorry.'

"How does it look?"

"It could have been worse."

As Michonne applied the bandage to Rick's head, Beta's words played over and over in her mind. _'I could have snapped his neck but I didn't.'_ It annoyed her that Beta was right. Although Beta and his group have been out there for awhile and emaciated he was still larger than Rick and most of the men in Alexandria. As a matter of fact, half of the men in Beta's group are quite large in comparison to Rick, Glen, Daryl and the others. The only persons who can come remotely close to Beta in size was Abe and maybe four or five other men in Alexandria.

Beta also proved from the way he body slammed Rick to the ground that he is also significantly stronger as well. The purpose of it all was to gain an audience with Rick which he clearly accomplished. She shuddered at the thought of losing Rick…living without him if Beta did in fact kill him. She felt physically ill at seeing Carl, Judith, Avery and Dominic having their father taken away from them. It would have been hardest on Carl for it would have been the second parent he has lost.

She even thought about other children. While bring the twins into the world was traumatic to say the least, she have thought about having more children when the world finally and truly settles down. She can't see any other man being the father of her children. Bile rose in Michonne's mouth. She gagged and ran outside. She needed some fresh air.

"Michonne?"

Rick followed her outside.

"Hey…are you alright?"

"I can't get Beta's words out of my head. He could have killed you if he wanted to." She said softly with closed eyes.

"Yeah."

"I don't know what I would have done if…"

Michonne choked up unable to complete her sentence. Rick hugged her.

"Well he didn't. He got what he wanted."

"So what now?"

"Let's just focus on Ned. He needs our attention right now more than Beta and his group."

They walked back inside.****************

Beta looked around the basement of the house which he was being kept in. He was tied firmly in the chair by expert knots. Abe, as he had heard Rick called the ginger hair man had tied them. Clearly he has some military training. Beta looked across from him and saw evidence of an interrogation. He saw a bucket, knife, rope and other things that suggest that someone else was here before him. He wondered if that too was his fate.

At this point he was willing to take whatever punishment Rick was willing to declare on him. He messed up and should have listened to Ingrid when she told him to come clean at the beginning. Now one of Rick's people is injured and it could be fatally. Rick can do whatever he like to him as long as he promised to let Ingrid, Lydia and the children stay in Alexandria. He looked up when he heard footsteps descending the stairs. ****************

"So what's the diagnosis?"

From the look in Tara's eyes, Rick knows that it wasn't good.

"He needs a real doctor Rick. I could only do what little I picked up from Denise and I'm afraid it wasn't much at least for this kind of injury. I am sorry." She sobbed.

Rick held Tara squarely at her shoulders.

"It's not your fault."

He looked at an unconscious Ned on the bed.

"How bad are his injuries?"

"He has a lot but there is only one that is very life threatening as far as I could tell."

"Which is?"

"He was stabbed with some sort of serrated knife. The wound is so jagged and deep. He needs a surgeon to first repair the internal damage to stop the internal bleeding and then sew him up."

She looked over at Ned.

"Right now, I just packed his wound to slow the bleeding but it has to be changed every twenty minutes or so. At this rate he will be dead by tonight."

Rick said nothing to Tara's report as she went back to check on Ned. Michonne overhear the prognosis.

"The only other doctor we know is Br Bryce."

Rick put his hands on his hips.

"Yeah. He's at the Hilltop."

"Negan controls the Hilltop and he doesn't know that we know people at the Hilltop."

"It's the only thing we have left. The only leverage we have on the Saviours."

"So what do we do?"

Rick looked at Michonne.

"I can't let anyone else die Mich. We have lost too much already."

She nodded in agreement.

"We are going to have to risk it…risk exposure. I am not going to let Ned die!"

Michonne smiled in agreement.

Rick walked over to Tara who was trying to make Ned as comfortable as possible. She was trying to comfort him also.

"Can he travel?"

Tara shook her head.

"With these injuries….no way."

"Ok. We are going to the Hilltop to get Dr Bryce."

"What about Negan? He will know that we knew about the Hilltop all this while."

"Right now Negan is irrelevant. We will deal with him later. Ned needs help…now"

Tara hugged him and he and Michonne left. Tara bent down and whispered to Ned.

"Rick is going to the Hilltop to get Dr Bryce. You are going to make it."***************

Beta looked at his visitor.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my previous group."

Jesus said nothing.

"I didn't want to negatively influence your decision about taking us in."

"You made me believe that you and your people were safe to bring here."

"I should have told you." He paused. Is your friend ok?"

"No. He is dying and because of you we now have to show our hand about another community we have as a secret ally."

Beta looked down to the floor deeply saddened. Then he looked at Jesus.

"I need to see Rick. Please. I have a way that I can try to mitigate what I have done."

Jesus said nothing for awhile. Then he nodded and left.****************

Tara had just left the clinic to retrieve more medical supplies from the supply room at Carol's house. Ned slowly opened his eyes. He heard everything that Rick and Tara discussed. They are going to expose themselves to Negan on account of him and he just can't let that happen. Painfully and slowly he looked around and saw a large prescription pad and a pen nearby. He reached for it and with trembling hands he started writing.*************

Tara returned to the clinic and was greeted with the most horrific sight. There was blood on the bed, on the floor…everywhere. Ned had removed the bandages she has used to stuff his wounds. They were on the floor, blood soaked.

"Ned!" She screamed as she rushed up to him. She saw the whites of his eyes as they fluttered furiously. His hands were bloody and the sheets of paper in his hand were also bloody. She started to panic as she tried to bandage his wounds again.

"Don't." he whispered. "It's too late."

"What did you do?!" she screamed.

"I couldn't…"

Tara cupped his face.

"Don't speak!" Tara cried.

"I couldn't let Rick risk it. He can't go to the Hilltop…even for me."

"That wasn't your decision to make!"

"Yes it was. It's my life."

Tara kissed Ned's forehead. He pushed the sheets of paper at her weakly.

"Please…give this to Rick."

Tara was reluctant to take it but she did. She saw the tears in his eyes.

"I'm going to get Rick!"

Ned grabbed her hand with his last ounce of strength he had.

"Please don't leave me." He cried. "Stay…please."

Tara pulled up a chair and held on to his bloody hands tightly. He closed his eyes and smiled.

"I'm so sorry Ned."

Ned squeezed her hand slightly to let her know that he had heard her. Tara watched as the blood pumped from his body with each laboured heartbeat. Tara cried as the blood pooled around her feet. Two minutes passed when she looked up and saw Ned looking at her. He was so calm.

"Everything is going to be alright." He said slightly smiling. Tara smiled as she wiped the tears from his eyes…and then hers.

"Tara?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

With that, Tara watched as Ned took his last long laboured breath, his eyes gently closing for the last time. Seconds later, his grip on her hand began to loosen and then it slipped from her hand. She slowly got up and kissed Ned on his cheek goodbye. Then pulling his upper body to her, she held him to her chest and rocked him like a new born baby as his blood soaked through her clothes. She started crying again.****************

Tara walked out of the clinic bloodied, heading to the armoury. She heard the gasps and moans of the residents as she slowly walked by them. She didn't acknowledged them and she kept her head straight…her feet carrying her to its destination.***************

Glen had just pulled up in a vehicle in front of the armoury when he saw a bloody Tara walking towards him. He jumped out of the vehicle.

"Rick!"

Rick rushed outside.

"What?"

Glen pointed up ahead at Tara. On seeing all the blood, they ran towards her.

"Tara! What happened?!"

She said nothing as she shoved the bloodied sheets of paper at him. Rick stared down at it as Glen raced towards the clinic.

"Tara!"

She burst into tears and Rick pulled her close to comfort her.**************

Rick, Michonne, Carl, Enid, Carol, Maggie, Glen, Abe, Sasha, Aaron, Eugene, Daryl, Rosita and Vicki all stood in the room staring at Ned's body. Rick clutched the pieces of paper in his hand that Tara had given to him. Michonne hugged him from behind to soothe him.

"It's not your fault." She whispered looking down at the papers in his hand.

She gently pulled him away to a nice quiet corner out back while the other tend to Ned's body. She held the hand with the papers.

"You need to read it."

"Do you want to stay? Read it with me?"

"No. This was meant for your eyes. Tell me what it says in your own words when you are done."

Rick hugged Michonne and she went back inside. He opened the pages and sat down on a short dividing wall. He began reading.

' _I am writing this to let you know that it will be okay…that I am okay. You exposing yourself and Alexandria to Negan about you knowing the Hilltop is not worth the risk. The need to keep Alexandria safe far outweighs the need to save me._

 _I can't tell you how grateful I am to you. You, Michonne and the rest of the council made that fateful decision to take me in into your home when the rest of the world spat me out. You gave me and dozens of other people some place safe…a place to call home. You are always there, protecting the community, shielding us from the harsh realities of the world._

 _I have heard the stories from some of the original residents, about when you and your group first came here. You were wildly feral. People doubted you but others gave you a chance. It was the best decision they ever made. You became the leader that the world so desperately need. You are kind when you need to be, fair when there is room for fairness and ruthless when it is called for._

 _Don't change Rick. Don't let Negan or anyone else break you. Don't be afraid to lean on those around you…especially Michonne. Listen to her…value her…trust her instincts. I see the weight of the world bearing down on your shoulders. You don't need to do this. You don't need to carry the burden of the world all on your shoulders. There are so many people here that would willingly carry these burdens with you. Let them._

 _Finally, if it is Tara who gave you this note, tell her I'm sorry. I didn't mean to put her through the agony of watching me die. But I needed to see the face of the woman I have loved since stepping foot in Alexandria one last time. Tell her I died happy, knowing that she was there with me through my last earthly breath._

 _Tell her that I was proud and content in doing my part in keeping her and the rest of Alexandria safe for a little while longer. Take care of everyone Rick as I know you most definitely will._

 _Ned….'_

Tears flooded Rick's eyes and dripped on the pages in his hand. Michonne wasn't too far away as she watched him read the letter. Hearing his quiet sobs, she walked over to him and straddling him, she held his face close to her chest as he cries. Rick put his arms around her and buried his face in the curve of her neck. She felt his warm tears. Rubbing his back in a calming, soothing circular motion she hoped her words will give him comfort.

"Shhhhhhh. I'm sorry."

Tears now threatened to spill from Michonne and she let it. She cried with Rick, she felt his pain. She glanced up briefly and saw Sasha and Maggie looking at them. She nodded that everything was ok.

"Michonne?"

"Yes baby?"

"Don't let go…please." He cried.

She gripped him tighter to her.

"I wouldn't."***************

Jesus walked into the clinic looking for Rick and was met with a somber atmosphere. He looked at the faces of everyone and Ned's lifeless body on the bed. There was blood everywhere.

"Where's Rick?" he asked cautiously.

Sasha pointed outside. She looked and saw Rick and Michonne. From the look of things he knew Beta was in a lot of trouble.***************

Negan looked on as Dr Bryce examined Renée for what could be the last time. He stayed during the examination which surprised Renee. Jasmine was out on at the other outpost for the day. It has been weeks since the miscarriage and Dr Bryce wanted to make sure that Renee was in good health. After five minutes he was done.

"This is my last visit."

Renee smiled.

"Thank you."

Bryce saw the look that Negan was giving Renee. He excused himself. When they were alone, Negan walked up to her. She reached out and held his hand.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Negan bent over and kissed her on the forehead and then on the lips.

"I know this is still hard on you but I promise it will get better."

"I know."

"We haven't been intimate for sometime either and I am sorry for that too."

Negan caressed her cheeks.

"I love you and whenever you are ready to make love again or try for another baby let me know. I will wait. This isn't about you or me. This is about us."

Renee smiled.

"So we are okay?"

"Yes…we are okay."

They kissed again.****************

Rick and Michonne stood hand in hand behind the crowd at the funeral service held for Ned. Michonne was smiling at Tara who stood closest to the grave as Father Gabriel said a few words to comfort the mourners. Rick had told her the contents of the letter. She had no idea that Ned was in love with Tara despite knowing that she was in a relationship with Denise.

She advised Rick to not tell Tara about Ned's feeling for her as it will make his death even more devastating. As a matter of fact, she was relieved that Rick had already decided to keep that part of the letter private should Tara ask. He also decided to keep the letter private from everyone else. Half an hour later the service was done and everyone filtered back to their homes. Jesus slipped in to the side of Rick as he and Michonne walked back to their home.

"Can we talk?"

Michonne squeezed Rick's hand and turned to leave. Rick held her hand firmly.

"No. Stay."

Rick looked at Jesus who nodded.

"What is it?"

"It's Beta. He wants to talk to you. I think he wants to make up for the trouble that he has caused."

Rick scowled.

"Does he now? What could he possible say or do that could make up for what he and his people have done?!"

Jesus heard the anger in Rick's voice. Michonne squeezed his hand.

"Hear him out."

Rick was very reluctant to entertain any of Beta's nonsense. He cost them the life of one of their own and quite frankly…he was livid. Michonne went home to check on the kids while he and Jesus walked over to the house where Beta was being kept under heavy guard. Rick could sense that what happened weighed heavily on Jesus.

"It's not your fault… or even Aaron's."

"It doesn't feel that way. We brought them here. We are partly responsible.

"No…you're not."

When Rick entered into the basement of the house, both men looked at each other for some time. Rick folded his arm across his chest.

"This better be f*cking good."


	66. Chapter 66

**Chapter 66: "Amends"**

Beta could tell that Rick was obviously distressed. His eyes were red and he feared the worst.

"How is your resident?"

Rick held up his hand with the bloody pages in them. Beta was temporarily stunned.

"Is he…?"

Rick's jaw tightened at the questions and he remained silent. Beta looked away briefly.

"I didn't want or mean for this to happen."

Rick put his hands on his hips irritated.

"You said you wanted to talk to me….so talk!"

"Before I make my proposal I want to make it clear to you that my keeping information from you about the Whisperers was not done maliciously albeit intentionally."

Rick remained emotionless. Beta continued.

"You sent your people out there to find more people to help you. You trusted Jesus's and Aaron's judgement. I didn't tell them because I was afraid that full disclosure would have negatively influenced their decision to trust us and allow us to come to your community. I didn't trust them enough because of obvious reasons but I do trust them now."

Beta couldn't tell if his words were making any impact on Rick.

"I want to stay Rick and I want to prove my worth to you so that you can begin to trust me if that is possible. I am also doing this for my people because I want them to stay as well."

"How do you intend to do that after what you have done? What you have cost us?"

"I know how the Whisperers operate…how to spot them."

Rick cocked his head to the side…his interest seemingly peaked.

"Go on."

"Your people killed the Whisperers who attacked them. That means Alpha will soon send out another group to find the ones who didn't come back. They leave certain markings on areas that they have been to…areas that they have cleared. I know these markings and I can read them. What I am proposing is that I take a few of my men and go out there and wait to counter the men that Alpha sends out and trust me…she will."

Rick's eyes narrowed at the proposal.

"What I am suggesting Rick is that I go out there and _stay_ out there until the threat of the Whisperers can be dealt with."

"I don't know you. I don't trust you. So how do I know that you wouldn't actually bring them back here?"

"Because I am giving you my people…my family to hold on to. See them as an insurance policy. Keep Ingrid , Lydia, the children and some of the men here. I am leaving their fate in your hands to do with them as you see fit if you suspect that I will betray you in any way."

Rick chuckled slightly.

"Why would you want to do that? You don't know me either. You don't know what I am capable of. You are taking a very big risk trust their lives to me. I could agree to your terms and then kill all of them the minute you leave here."

Beta smiled.

"I may not know you personally but I know men like you. When I attacked you, your people could have just killed us all on the spot but they didn't. You know why? Abe, Daryl, Glen and the others are a reflection of you and your values. If you were the type of person to kill people in cold blood, then me and my people would have been pushing up dirt somewhere by now. They didn't kill us because they knew that you wouldn't have either…despite what I did."

"What about Michonne? How do you know that she wouldn't have cut Ingrid's throat then and there even if the others didn't."

"I'm no fool Rick. She wouldn't have killed Ingrid either but I also saw the fire and determination in her eyes. I knew that if we were to die right there Ingrid would have been the first blood spilled."

Rick stared at Beta and Jesus looked at the two men. Rick may not like what Beta said but what he said did make sense. The truth is Rick was Beta at a point in time. If what the stories he heard are true, Rick was planning to overthrow Alexandria's former leader Deanna and take over the community and he was doing it because he thought it was the best way to protect his family at the time. While the coup actually didn't happen both Rick and Beta did what they thought was in the best interest of their people. The only difference is that Beta's decision cost a life. The room was eerily silent.

"I need to discuss this with the other council members."

"Please do."

Rick left the basement but Jesus stayed. He pulled a chair and sat directly in front of Beta.

"That was a good plan. I think he will consider your offer."

"I need him to."

"What about your wife…Ingrid? She will never agree to this."

"I know but she will have to. She knows it is for her safety and that of Lydia's and the children. Nothing is more important to me than that."

"You could go out there and don't come back. Did you even think about that? How Ingrid will feel God forbid that one of these Whisperers showed up at our gates wearing your skin? No wife could survive that."

"She is stronger than she looks but if she falls apart here in Alexandria, she will have a support group to help her through it."

"You really are putting a lot of faith in people and a place that you've just met."

"Partly, that's because of you and Aaron. I couldn't believe it when I saw you left the food for us in the trees. I wouldn't admit this to Ingrid out of pure stubbornness and pride but that really got to me. That's why I followed you and Aaron and helped you when you fell in the floor of the building into that pit of walkers."

Jesus laughed.

" I am so glad that you and your men was there. I really thought that was the end for us. What's the other part?"

"Ingrid. As she rightfully said…one bad group doesn't mean that all of them are bad as well. She trust you…she trust this place. I am trusting it for her."

Jesus smiled at the declaration.***************

Ingrid paced nervously in the living room of the house that they were being guarded in. Lydia watched her concerned.

"Beta has something planned! I just know it!"

"That's a good thing right?" Lydia asked cautiously.

"Yeah. Good for everyone else except him."

"What do you mean?"

"Beta didn't attack Rick randomly. It was planned."

"Planned? How is attacking the leader of a community that we want to stay in a good plan? He could have gotten us all killed!"

Ingrid finally stopped pacing and looked at Lydia.

"Look beyond the attack itself. What happened after the attack?"

Lydia studied Ingrid's face briefly and then it dawned on her.

"He got an audience. He got Michonne to listen to what he had to say."

"Exactly."

"I think you should talk to her….Michonne."

Ingrid smiled in agreement then went outside. Carl was one of the men guarding them. She walked straight up to him.

"I need to talk to your mother."

"About what?"

Ingrid stared at him and Carl folded his arms waiting patiently for a reply. Ingrid had no choice but to give him an answer.

"I want to talk to her about Beta did to Rick."

Carl's eyes hardened at the mentioned of his father's name in her mouth. Ingrid saw his reaction.

"Please." She pleaded.

"I will tell her. If she wants to come is up to her."

"Fair enough."

Carl stalked away.*****************

Carl walked into the kitchen to find Michonne preparing for dinner later. He didn't see Enid, Judith or the twins.

"Where's everybody?"

"Upstairs."

"Ingrid wants to talk to you."

Michonne looked at him.

"She said she wanted to discuss what happened between dad and Beta."

Michonne resumed cutting up the vegetables, a smile on her face.

"What?"

"Rick is with Beta right now. He asked to speak to Rick."

"You think it's a tag team?"

"Husband speaking to husband and wife speaking to wife? Oh yeah!"

"Should we be worried?"

"No. I don't think so."

"I wonder what their angle is."

"They really really want to stay and they are desperate enough to do whatever it takes to get on our good side to ensure that they do stay."

Carl scoffed.

"That hope went out the window when Ned died."

"Maybe."

Carl looked at his mother.

"Maybe? What do you mean by maybe?"

"Nothing."

"Are you feeling sorry for them?"

Michonne put down her knife and looked at him.

"It's not a matter of feeling sorry for them. Yes, they deliberately did not tell us about their former group and yes, it cost us Ned but they have young children Carl. We can't just ignore that. We were them at a point in time."

Carl said nothing. He really hadn't consider the children and how being sent back out on the road could affect them. He was just still so angry about Ned's death. He and Ned had become really close and had come to seen him as an older brother.

"Are you going to hear her out?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

From the tone of his voice she could tell that he was trying to accept these people into Alexandria.

Hey. Look at it this way. They need somewhere to stay…atleast temporary and we need the numbers to fight Negan. Our original offer of giving them food in exchange for helping us can still stand until further notice."

Carl seemed to get comfort with her reasoning that she was putting forward.

"They need us." Carl said with finality.

"Yes…and we need them."

Carl accepted this. They heard footsteps and turned to see Enid descending down the stairs. On reaching them she kissed Carl on the cheeks.

"Finally, they are down for the count. All three of them. Thank goodness!"

"This is good practice for when we have our own."

Michonne and Enid stared at him incredulously.

"You did not just say that?!" Enid said folding her arms across her chest. "From now on…you're on baby duties."

Carl laughed.

"No way!"

"Oh yes way!" Michonne interjected.

Suddenly the baby monitor sprang to life. Enid pointed to the stairs. Carl shook his head. He turned to look at Michonne for some support but instead she now folded her arms across her chest in support of her future daughter-in-law. Carl stared at her in disbelief.

"Is this how it's going to be in the future? You are suppose to be on my side mom!"

Michonne and Enid looked at each other and then to him and grinned. In defeat, Carl took off his gun belt and began to slowly walk towards the stairs.***************

Dinner came and went uneventful in the Grimes household. Enid and Carl had the twins and Judith sat between Rick and Michonne. Carl and Enid noticed how distracted both Rick and Michonne were but neither one enquired. They already knew what was bothering them. After dinner, Michonne watched as Judith played with the twins while Enid and Carl cleared the table. Rick had quietly slipped out on the porch. Miconne then joined him. She hugged him from behind.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Do you have a jar?"

"Rick..."

"I'm sorry."

He took Michonne by her hand and led her to the swing seat on the porch. He sat down first and instinctively she sat on him. With one gentle push they began swinging.

"So...what did Beta want?"

"He wants the opportunity to deal with his old group himself in exchange for them staying here."

"Why would we even take that chance with him after everything that has happened? Why would we trust him?"

"Same thing I said."

"And?"

"He made me an offer that even I don't think would ever consider."

"Tell me!"

"He offered me insurance."

"What?" Michonne asked confused. "Insurance? In the end of the world."

"He offered his people to me Michonne. He wants me to keep them here in Alexandria as a measure of good faith of his willingness to do whatever needs to be done to stay here. He said Alpha will send more of her people to look for the ones that didn't come back..the ones we killed. He wants to go out there with a couple of his own men and actually stay out there until the Whisperers threat is neutralize. He said that he is putting the fate of his family in my hands to do whatever I want if he should betray me in any way."

Michonne just stared at Rick...dumbfounded. He chuckled. No one said anything for a couple of minutes.

"Ingrid told Carl she wants to see me."

"That's interesting. You should go. I am curious to hear what proposal she has to offer."

"Well hearing what Beta offered I am definitely going to hear what she has to say. You know you have to discuss this with the council and then bring it to the community."

Rick nodded.

"I told Abe on my way back here to call the others over to his house to discuss it. Everyone should be there by now."

Michonne looked up at Abe's house just in time to see him casually strolling towards them.

"Yeah. I think you are right."

Rick looked up and saw Abe. He walked up on the porch.

"Everyone's waiting for you Rick."

Michonne slipped off Rick's lap and he got up.

"When are you going to see Ingrid?"

"In the morning."

"OK."

He kissed her on the cheeks and he followed Abe back to his house. Michonne saw Sasha waving to her from their porch. She waved back. Michonne watched until both men disappeared into the safety of the house then she walked back into their own house.****************

From the living room window Ingrid saw when Rick spoke briefly to Abe and went home. She also saw when Abe went to several other houses and literally minutes later people began going to Abe's house. She saw Abe went over to Rick's house and the two of them walk back to his house. Ingrid instantly felt a knot in the pit of her stomach. Lydia saw her looking out the window. She was starting to panic.

"What's going on?" Lydia asked looking in Ingrid's line of sight.

"Oh God Beta! What did you do?! What did you do?!" She cries.***************


	67. Chapter 67

**Chapter 67: "Out There"**

Glen, Daryl, Abe, Carl and Tony all stared at Rick after he told them about the offer he was given by Beta. Daryl first spoke up.

"You think we could trust him?"

"No…but it gets better. He is offering me his people to hold as collateral."

Everyone seemed confused.

"He actually said that?" Glen asked.

Rick nodded. He noticed that Carl was silent.

"Carl? Is there something that you want to add?"

"Beta's wife Ingrid also wants to talk to mom. She could also be making an offer to her."

"So this could be trap? That they are trying to play us?"

"I think so." Carl interjected quickly.

"It doesn't have to be. A man wouldn't or doesn't offer his family up to complete strangers just like that."

Rick smiled at Glen's statement. He is the heart of the group…always hopes for the best from everyone. Despite all the shit that happened to him he still believes in second chances. He reminds him so much of Beth.

"That may be so Glen but we lost Ned. They kept information from us….information that could have put us on our guard to look out for these people. He maybe more forthcoming now but he still could be keeping things from us. Are we willing to take that chance again?"

Carl, Daryl and Tony agreed with his concerns. Glen, still ever the optimist wasn't totally convinced.

"What do Aaron and Jesus think?"

"Given that Beta and his people saved their lives…they are very willing to trust them."

"Could be just the gratitude talking. The last time I checked gratitude isn't common sense."

"He's right." Abe said agreeing with Daryl's statement. There was silence in the living room where the men stood.

"What about Beta's wife…Ingrid? Has Michonne spoken to her as yet?"

Rick shook his head.

"She plans on doing it first thing in the morning."

"Ok. Let's wait and see what she has to say."

"I don't think there is anything that she could possible come up with to top what Beta has put on the table. Clearly he's real desperate to stay." Tony observed.

"He claims he is doing this to protect his wife, Ingrid and the children. In that aspect I understand what that's like. Still I don't trust him."

"We don't have to trust him….just use him. If what he proposes works out then we could move on from there. We could still kick him and his people out of Alexandria."

Abe saw Glen's disapproving look.

"With supplies of course!" He added for Glen's benefit. Glen still wasn't pleased.

Rick nodded at the men.

"So it's settled then?"

Daryl, Abe and Tony nodded their heads.

"Atleast let's hear Ingrid has to say."

Rick nodded in agreement. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Ingrid kept her eyes glued on the house where she saw Rick and the others entered. Half an hour later she watched as they left one by one. Rick was the last person to leave. He paused and looked over at them. Tears sprang to her eyes. She is more resolved than ever to speak to Michonne. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Before the crack of dawn Ingrid was up. She had quietly crept downstairs and made herself most present in the porch. That's when she saw Rick entered the house that Beta was being held. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Beta was already awake when Rick entered the basement. The men stared at each other. From the Rick's expression it appears that a decision was made.

"It seems you have made a decision."

"Maybe. We are waiting for another offer to come through."

Beta eyes narrowed causing Rick to smirk.

"What other offer?"

Rick said nothing and slowly the realization dawned on Beta.

"Leave her out of this! Don't listen to anything she said!"

Rick shrugged his shoulders.

"She came to us. Reached out to my wife and it's in my community's best interest to hear all proposals so that I could make the best possible decision for my people."

"There is nothing that she could offer you that could be better than what I proposed. We both know that."

"We don't know that and I am more than willing to hear what she has to say."

There was a moment of silence.

"I want to see my wife!"

"That's not going to happen." Rick turned to leave. "You better pray that Ingrid doesn't come up with a better plan than yours."

"Rick!" Beta screamed as Rick exited the basement. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

As Rick walked up the steps to his home Michonne was on her way out. He smiled as she kissed their twins who Enid and Carl were holding.

"So early?"

"Yeah. Let's see what she has to offer. I want to get this over with and done."

She gave Rick a peck on the cheek first and then kissed him full on the lips.

"Beta knows."

"Oh. Bet he wasn't happy."

Rick smiled. She kissed him again then headed across the yard where Ingrid was staying. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Ingrid suddenly was a bundle of nerves when she saw Michonne heading towards them. Lydia suddenly appeared at her side. She saw Ingrid nervousness.

"Do you even know what you are going to tell her? What your proposal?"

"I don't even have one. I am just hoping to appeal to them to not do whatever Beta might have convinced them to do."

"We don't even know what he told them."

"True but I'm hoping to appeal to Michonne…woman to woman. She can talk to Rick, get him to see reason."

Lydia chuckled not convinced of Ingrid's plan.

"What?"

"You do remember that she was going to slit your throat after what Beta did to her husband right? What we did. I wouldn't count on her being in reasonable mood."

"It's still worth a try."

Both ladies put on a smile as Michonne greeted the men who were guarding their house. Michonne stopped at the bottom step and looked at them. Ingrid walked down to meet her.

"I was told you wanted to see me."

Ingrid couldn't believe how intimidating she was of Michonne. It's not like Michonne had her chest puffed out and she was breathing fire. Michonne had a majestic way about her…almost regal and it doesn't help that this conversation could help them or condemn them. She cleared her throat.

"Yes. I know that Beta talked to Rick."

Michonne said nothing.

"What did Beta say?"

"So this is a fishing expedition?"

Ingrid wasn't going to take the chance of lying to Michonne.

"Yes."

Michonne looked at the woman. Clearly she loves her husband and doesn't want to see him hurt but she will have to admit, what Beta offered to Rick is a win win situation to all…well except Beta. Michonne was most concerned for the children. She knows how hard it could be with an infant on the road. They only had Judith but Beta has five children in their group. They can't stay out there forever and Alexandria can offer protection to them.

"Beta offered to take some of his people, go outside and eliminate this Whisperers threat. He said that Alpha will send more people to look for the ones that we killed and he will not return to Alexandria until that is done. He is also giving you, Lydia and the children to us as insurance for his compliance."

She watched as the colour drained from Ingrid's face. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Michonne stepped closer to the woman as she does feel sorry for her. They both know that there is a strong possibility that when Beta leaves it could be the last time she sees him. Suddenly, Ingrid's eyes fluttered as she collapsed to the ground. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

The day passed relatively quickly and Beta sent dozen of messages to Rick so that they can talk or re-negotiate to counter any offer that Ingrid made. Rick and the other council members held a council meeting in the church with the residents. He laid out Beta's proposal and listened to their opinions.

While the residents don't trust Beta and his group, most of them agreed that if he is willing to put his family's life in their hands it is something that they should consider. Beta and his people know what this threat is and could deal with it adequately.

A few people however put forward the proposal that Beta and his men be allowed to use one of the safe houses to replenish themselves and that two members of Alexandria go with them to learn more about these people. Rick offered to take these proposals under advisement.

It was only late evening that Rick finally visited Beta. He had barely walked down into the basement when Beta started throwing questions at him.

"What did Ingrid say?! What did she offer you?!"

"Nothing."

Rick saw relief wash over his face.

"So what did she want then?"

"Information from Michonne about what you offered us. She didn't take it very well. She collapsed."

"What?! Is she ok?"

"She's fine. Tara checked her out in the infirmary and she's back in the house."

"I want to see her Rick…to explain to her why I am doing this."

"We are taking you up on your offer and you're leaving first thing tomorrow. You'll see her then."

Beta nodded. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rick, Glen Daryl, Abe, Michonne and some of the residents stood by as Beta cupped Ingrid's crying face. Enid and Carl holding the twins looked on from the Grimes house while Sasha, Maggie and Rosita watched the scene from Carol's house with their children. Lydia brought over the children from their group to say goodbye to Beta.

The children hugged him, their faces already tear stained from crying. After a few minutes, Lydia took them back at to the house. The men from Beta's group were being guarded a short distance away and Rick motioned for them to be brought forward.

"Please don't do this! I will never see you again!"

"I'll come back! You know I will!"

"Don't leave me! Pleaseeeee."

Ingrid clung unto Beta, burying her face in his chest. Beta looked around at the people who were staring at them. He knew that there was nothing he could say that will ease Ingrid's pain. George, Jimmy, Izul stepped forward to accompany Beta outside.

"One of our people will be going with you."

Beta looked at Rick surprised and then smiled when Jesus stepped forward. He nodded to Rick in gratitude as he walked up to him.

"Trust goes both ways…right?" Rick said cocking his head to one side.

Beta whispered into Ingrid's ear.

"See baby. Everything is going to work out and I will come back to you. Rick and his people will look after you, Lydia and the children. You will be safe. You know that is all I ever wanted."

Michonne stepped forward.

"We will keep them safe."

Beta's eyes filled with tears as he planted a long deep kiss on Ingrid's lips.

"Do you mind walking me to the gate?" he asked her.

She nodded meekly. Rick motioned for the gate to be opened as they all walked to the gate. When Beta realized that Ingrid was refusing to let go of him, he motioned for Faris to take her. Ingrid whimpered as Faris pulled her away from Beta. He, George, Jimmy, Izul and Jesus walked out the gate. As it closed behind him Beta looked back on the place that he would have liked to call home but maybe that could still happen….maybe. Ingrid broke free from Faris and ran up to the gates.

"Wait!" she cried out.

Beta walked back and held Ingrid's hands through the bars of the gate.

"Promise me that you will come back!"

"I promise."

They kissed again through the bars and Beta roughly pulled away as his emotions threatened to get the best of him.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

She watched as Beta and the rest disappeared in the woods and probably for the rest of their lives.

 _ **Author's note**_ _ **:**_

 _ **I hope all is well with everyone after that brutal S7 premier of our favourite show. I still can't believe that we lost two of our people. We all mourn the loss of Glen and Abraham, the personal pain of Maggie, Sasha and Rosita and also the collective pain of TF. R.I.P. Glen and Abraham. You will be missed.**_

 _ **Since TWD S7 has premiered I am torn of either putting this story on a brief hiatus until the mid-season break or updating it only once per month as it is in the same universe as the show. However, I will continue to update my other stories and posting new ones on a regular basis as they are and will be in an alternative universe.**_

 _ **Please give me your thoughts and opinions in your reviews as I value your readership.**_


	68. Chapter 68

**Chapter 68: "New Life"**

The sun was slowly creeping into the room as Lydia looked at Ingrid on the bed. She was relieved that Ingrid has finally fallen asleep. Today would make it day four since Beta and the others left and Ingrid had been crying non-stop ever since. The first day was the worst as Ingrid cried loudly, unashamed, calling out Beta's name. Lydia thought for a brief moment that she had gone mad with grief.

Ingrid refused to eat or drink and it was only yesterday that Lydia had finally convinced her to as it was affecting the children. When Lydia put the meal of baked beans, wheat bread and sausage in front of her yesterday, she only moved the different items around in her plate for the first few minutes, and then slowly she began consuming the food.

She managed to eat only half of the meal before pushing the rest back to Lydia and retiring to her room. Lydia knows she is worried about Beta. They all are but no-one knows the cruelty of the Whisperers better than her. She prayed everyday that Beta and the others are safe out there and to not be caught by the Whisperers. Lydia shivered as cold, harsh, painful memories started flooding back to her. She shook them off.

She will not let the past life, past troubles, past pain infect the new life that she wants and plans to build in Alexandria. She wants this for everyone from her group. She has never seen a place like this since the world went to hell. Closing the door quietly behind her, Lydia set the children on the table and put their breakfast before them. They ate more calmly now, not ravenously as when they first came here. In all fairness, they all ate so when the first came to this place.

They didn't know what was going to happen so they ate all that they can, when they can. When it was discovered that Beta kept information from Rick and his people about the whisperers which ultimately led to the death of one of their own, she were almost sure that they would have been forced to leave...to go back out there. Thankfully Beta was able to offer something to Rick to appease him, even if it was temporary and at his own life.

Leaving the children to eat, Lydia walked out onto the porch of the home which she can now safely call home. She watched at the hustle and bustle of the residents going about their business. She saw training sessions being taught and farming getting done. Their home was now assigned one guard which may have suggested that they were now free to move around. However, she remained indoors with the children just to be on the safe side of things.

She didn't want to do anything that could jeopardize their future here. She looked over to the nearby house when the men from their group were being kept. It was still heavily guarded with five men posted there, equipped with walkie talkies and guns. _'In time…'_ Lydia thought… _'In time Rick will see that they are no threat to them.'_ Lydia turned around to see Carl walking towards her…bags in hand. She moved to the top step on the stairs and walked down to get the bags that Carl had held out infront of him to her..

"This is a change of clothing. You and the children have been holed up in the house for days now. In case you haven't noticed your guards have been reduced."

Lydia squinted her eyes at him.

"I noticed that."

"Ok. Well you are free to take a look around Alexandria if you like." He nodded towards the one guard that was posted to their house. "Tony will accompany you."

"What about the others?"

Carl smirked at her.

"They will remain where they are under heavy guard until further notice."

Carl's eyes fell behind her and when she turned around she saw all five children gathered behind her. The children stared back at Carl.

"There is a park with a small pond nearby. I suggest you take then there first."

Lydia said nothing and watched as Carl walked away and disappeared from sight. Tony walked up to her.

"Are you ready?"

"Give me an hour. I need to bathe and dress the children first."

Tony nodded and Lydia ushered the children back inside. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Carl walked back to the house as he and Enid have very important matters to discuss…their birthdays and upcoming nuptials. Since their birthdays were just months apart the initial plan was to forgo any celebrations for Carl's birthday and instead gave Enid the perfect gift of marrying her on her birthday.

They wanted to have a church service in the morning and the ladies of Alexandria would have a big cookout in the evening by the park. However the threat of the Saviours, the Whisperers and the now additional mouths to feed has hampered those plans. Carl was disappointed and apologized to Enid profusely for not being able to give her the wedding of her dreams.

Enid on the other hand had to reassure Carl on many occasions that it was ok…that she didn't need to have a big wedding or grand celebration. As long as she became Mrs Carl Grimes, she was satisfied. They have managed to hide food from the Saviours so far and since their visits are no longer timed and they can drop by any time they see fit, they needed to be careful.

Any celebration of any kind could give the false impression that things are bountiful in Alexandria which is far from it. Therefore, it was decided that they would get married at home in the morning with only the Grimes, the Dixons, the Fords, the Rhees, Carol and Tara in attendance. The rest of the community will then be invited to drop by during the day to wish happy greeting to the new couple.

Then Michonne, Maggie, Sasha, Rosita, Carol and Tara planned to prepare a simple dinner for Carl and his new wife in the house that will be given to them as their marital home. The plans were simple but everyone was satisfied and best of all…it will not draw any unwanted attention should the Saviours drop by unexpectedly.

Carl passed Michonne with Judith and the twins out for a stroll and Rick discussing with Glen plans for a scouting party to be sent out to get supplies. He walked into the kitchen to see Enid strapping up to go on community patrol. He greeted her with a kiss.

"Hey babe." She smiled, savouring the kiss from her future husband.

"I was thinking about the wedding plans. I know we agreed for something super small but are you sure you are happy with everything so far?"

Enid looked at Carl amused. She knows that all he wants is for her to be happy. She snaked her arms around his neck and planted a deep kiss on him. Carl pulled her close giving her right butt cheek a slight pinch.

"You know what makes me happy Carl? You make me happy…the life that we are going to build together and the three children I am going to bear for you hopefully in the future when the world has settled down. Not some big fancy wedding with a thousand guest and a big poofy white dress. You. All I want is you. I want what my parents had before they died and I want what your parents have right now."

"You make me happy too. I love you so much!"

"I love you too!"

They began kissing again when Carl suddenly pulled away.

"Wait what?! Three children?"

"Two boys and a girl."

Carl raised his eyebrows at her.

"Why three?"

"I don't know. Could be two but once it's more than one. Being an only child sucks!"

Carl erupted with laughter.

"Two is a good nice round figure."

"Ok. Two then."

"They resumed kissing when they heard a cough behind them. They turned around to see Rick and Abe behind them. Abe had a huge grin on his face.

"We were just leaving to go on patrol dad."

Carl took Enid's hand and they passed through the kitchen door and into the streets. Abe took a deep breath.

"Ahhhhhh, love the smell of young love in the morning!"

Rick shot eye daggers at him.

"What?! Ah come on! You know that was cute."

Rick leaned up against the kitchen door watching Carl and Enid walk down the street...his arm around her shoulders and her arms around his waist. Abe stood up next to him.

"They make it look so easy."

"It isn't."

"Carl knows that. You and Michonne raised him well. You don't have to worry. You, Michonne and the rest of us will be around for a long time to come to guide him through married life and what it means to be a husband and provider for his family. Trust him Rick. Robyn will be looking up to him for guidance and she decides to date."

Rick eyed his friend knowing how protective he is of his only child.

"And when will that be?"

"When I dead."

Both men let out a loud raw laughter. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Lydia, with the children at her side and Tony to the rear walked slowly around Alexandria. Ingrid declined to accompany them but she wished she had. Alexandria was so beautiful…so peaceful. She was amazed how these people managed to maintain such an existence when the rest of the world is going up in flames. As she walked past the residents, some greeted her, others ignored her. The children stayed close to her until they saw the park. There were other kids there as well. They shot out infront of her in a sprint.

"Wait!" Lydia called out to them. Tony chuckled.

"It's ok. Let them be."

Lydia turned to him and saw that he was smiling, something she had never seen him do since he was guarding them.

"I just don't want them to do anything to get themselves in trouble and get the rest of us kicked out."

"They are just kids. What can they possible do to make the rest of you get kicked out?"

Lydia said nothing as they reached by one of the benches. She sat down but Tony did not.

"Besides Rick gave his word that he will keep you and your people safe. He doesn't take his words lightly."

"He will keep his word as long as Beta fulfil his task you mean."

Tony said nothing as he observed Lydia watching the children. He saw the fierceness in her body mannerism and could tell that she has hardened, hardened to the harshness and cruelty of this new world they now live in. He wondered what happened to her out there and what Beta meant when he said that he suspects that she was a victim of the Whisperers as well.

His attention was pulled from Lydia to the screaming laughter of the children. It didn't take them long for them to blend in and make friends with the others and soon they were all jumping, skipping and chasing each other all over the park all under the intense watchful eyes of Lydia. Carol came up behind them and he saw when Lydia jumped to her feet and positioned herself in a defensive posture.

"Easy!" Carol said quickly. "I am not going to hurt you." She took out a large container filled with cookies and other baked treats. "I made these for the children."

Carol handed the container to Lydia who was hesitant at first. Then she took them.

"Thank you…for everything."

Carol smiled.

"You're welcome. Tell me if they like them. I could make a batch specially for them."

"Ok."

Carol turned and left. Lydia called the children over and when they were eventually able to pull themselves away from their new found friends she gave them two cookies each with the promise of them getting the other treats later. When they returned to their friends, Lydia broke off a piece of one of the cookies and sneaked it into her mouth. Tony muffled the laughter in his throat when he heard a pleasurable moan escaped her lips. She broke off another piece and put it in her mouth again. She gasped again.

"Good…isn't it?"

Lydia turned and smiled at him.

"Yes...it is." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**


	69. Chapter 69

Chapter 69: "Restless

Lydia was glad that Ingrid had finally come out of her crying slump but she still has not been in full interaction with the rest of Alexandria. For the past three days, she has been keeping vigil at the gates during the day pacing anxiously from one end to the other and at night, holding on to the bars of the gate, just staring into the darkness.

Some of the Alexandrians on watch duty were creeped out by her behaviour as Lydia saw their mannerism and the whispers behind her back. Tony got wind of it and informed Lydia that Ingrid's actions were freaking out some of the residents.

Lydia promised to talk to her. After dropping off the children at the play park, Lydia made her way over to the main gate and without fail Ingrid was there. As she approached she saw the signs of relief and gratefulness on the faces on the Alexandrians who were already on duty there.

"Hey." She called out to Ingrid as she approached her.

Ingrid looked over her shoulder briefly and turned back.

"You didn't eat breakfast this morning."

Lydia handed the plate of uneaten sandwiches towards her. Saying nothing, Ingrid turned around and took one of the sandwiches in her hand.

"I don't even know if he has eaten."

"Beta will be fine. He has George, Jimmy and Izul. They will take care of each other. Jesus is there with them as well and we know how handy and resourceful he is."

Lydia saw a brief flicker of relief in Ingrid face as she slowly took a bite out of the sandwich.

"I am scared…that Alpha will find him. What if she already sent out another group?"

"Beta knows how to handle them."

"Thanks to you. If it wasn't for your help we might not have made it out. I don't know how you survived there for so long."

"I had too."

"You save us. You saved the children."

"It's the other way around. You guys saved me…gave me a way out."

Ingrid smiled as she took another big bite out of the sandwich. Lydia looked up to see one of the guards nodding and smiling at her.

"Come on. Let's go home. You need to rest and stop frightening the residents."

She put her arms around Ingrid and they began walking back to the house. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Michonne was glad for the peace and quiet at the house. Judith was over at Carol's baking up whatever monstrosity they can in the kitchen and Carl and Enid was on patrol so the house was the perfect ambiance.

She had just finished giving Avery and Dominic their baths and was preparing to breast feed them. She sat down on the sofa in their bedroom and after making sure Dominic got a good mouth grip on her nipples she balanced him in one arm and rubbed circles on Avery's tummy to calm her down at the side of her with the other.

The twins were only months old but they were very alert to their surrounds. They had to be. She looked down at Dominic, whose eyes were closed while Avery was squirming to get from underneath her hand. Michonne couldn't help but smile at her.

Avery was so much like her father and she is going to be a handful when she grows into a pre-teen and then a teenager. She foresaw Rick adding a couple more grey hair to his head and she already told him to be prepared.

Dominic had had enough and he pulled away from her. She rubbed his back gently after a small burp she held him close to allow his tummy to settle. It wasn't long before he fell asleep. She was about to put down when Rick walked in.

He smiled at her and taking Dominic from her arms he kissed her on the lips. Avery cooed loudly at the sight of her father, her arms reaching up to him. He bent down over her, letting her small, delicate fingers caress his stubble which he loved immensely.

After a minute of father-daughter bonding Michonne brought her daughter up to her breast which Avery quickly accepted. As she nursed, Avery kept her eyes on her father as he swayed back and forth gently with his son in his arms. Michonne looked up at him.

"You know what she wants right?"

"I know…I know."

Rick sat down next to Michonne and rests his head gently on her bosom. Avery closed her eyes as she continued nursing, caressing her father's face. Five minutes later, Avery herself was fast asleep.

"She's out."

Michonne whispered to Rick.

"Already?" Rick asked sitting up.

"Yeah."

He watched as Michonne rose to her feet with Avery close to her chest as she began the same ritual of rubbing tight circles in her back to burp her…letting her tummy settle. As his eyes followed Michonne as she walked up and down the room, Rick couldn't help but note the vast differences between her and Lori.

Lori was a stay at home mother for Carl and Rick's job as a cop made him absent from a lot of birthday parties for his son. He would often wonder how Lori would have survived if he ever got shot on the job. They married young and she chose to be a housewife despite him telling her that she would work if she wanted to.

She never did. Lori depended on Rick for everything. While that arrangement didn't bother him, she didn't show any effort in trying to be innovative…try to make things easier or better for them as a family on the whole. Looking at Michonne it's obvious that she is the clear and complete opposite to her.

He knows that Michonne was a junior corporate lawyer before she had Andre. Clearly she is capable of taking care of herself and a child. Rick sleep well at night knowing that should something happen to him, tragic or otherwise, he doesn't have to worry about Judith or the twin. She got this.

That was one of the main things that made him fell in love with her. Lori needed him…Michonne didn't. Michonne _chose_ him and Rick knows that he is lucky that she did. Michonne turned to see Rick smiling goofily at her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because I love you so much." Rick said softly.

Michonne sat on the sofa next to him.

"I know that. You tell me every day and when you don't say it I feel it." She eyed him. "What brought this one?"

"I was thinking about Lori...how different the two of you are."

"Ok."

There was a time when Michonne would have been intimidated by Carl's mother. She was the only one besides the original Alexandrians who didn't know her. She was already dead by the time she had shown up at the prison. No one talked about her much so the only thing she knew for certain was that she was Carl's and Judith's mother.

She has heard whispers at the prison…long before she even had feelings for Rick. However, she quickly determined that it was in the past, before her time and it was none of her concern. Now she is only looking forward to the future she has with Rick and their kids. She snuggled up next to him.

She wasn't tempted or even curious to ask Rick how she and Lori were different. Lori is dead and she is alive. Lori was the past and she is the future. She is her own woman as Lori was. She wasn't intimidated by Lori's ghost anymore but she knows that she will always be a part of Rick.

A few moments of silent breathing pierced the quiet atmosphere in the room. Rick suddenly cupped her face turning it towards him.

"I want you to know that Lori will always have a place in my heart because of Carl but you Michonne Grimes…you _are my heart! You are my soul…my everything._ I am nothing without you. I will be nothing without you."

Without even wanting too Michonne rush into a torrent of tears, burying her face in Rick's shoulders.

"I love you too!" She cried.

"Look at me." Rick whispered.

She did.

"You and me are one…one body, one spirit. Now and forever."

Michonne nodded, closing her eyes as Rick kissed her forehead. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

After seeing Ingrid settled down sleeping, Lydia left the house to go and check on the children at the park. As she drew closer, she noticed that she only saw four out of the five children playing among the others. She stopped Sandy, the oldest of them.

"Where's Josiah?" Lydia asked.

"He pointed at our house."

"But he's not there. I just came from home."

The child looked confused and Lydia began to panic.

"Josiah!" **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Enid and Carl were on their fourth patrol around Alexandria's perimeter but they knew that they weren't alone.

"You know we have a shadow right?" Enid said

"Yeah. Since on our second rounds around Alexandria."

Enid chuckled.

"So what do you want to do?"

Carl smiled cheekily. They walked towards Carol's house.

"Wait here."

Enid stood there confused as Carl hurried up the stairs and came back a minute later with some cookies in a bowl with Carl putting a piece in his mouth. When he was near her and they began walking again she whispered to him.

"You are evil!"

They walked a little distance more and sat down to rest. Carl opened the bowl of cookies and the scent hit them square in the face.

"Christ Carl! I want one!"

Enid reached into the bowl but Carl playfully slapped them away.

"It's not for you!"

Enid folded her arms as they waited for their little mouse to fall into their trapped. After a minute, the shrubbery to their left rustled slightly and a young child, one that they recognized from Beta's group came out and walked up to them. He squeezed himself between Carl and Enid, reaching into the cookie bowl and began eating slowly. Carl and Enid looked at each other and said nothing for a while.

"So what's your name?"

The child looked up at them but before he could answer they heard a shout. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Lydia rushed around the corner, her heart pounding furiously in her chest when she saw Josiah sitting safe and sound. She briskly walked up to them and then Josiah went to her.

"You scared me!"

"I'm sorry." Josiah murmured.

"Where were you?"

"On patrol with us." Carl interjected. "I'm sorry. We should have asked your permission first."

Lydia looked at Carl.

"That would have been nice. I feared the worse."

"You're not out there anymore. We will keep the children safe."

"I know."

"Do you want to come patrolling with us?"

"No. Need to keep an eye on Ingrid. She's not doing so well with Beta out there."

"He will come back. All of them."

Lydia smiled slightly.

"Happy patrolling."

She smiled as Josiah intertwined his fingers with Carl's as they resumed their patrol. As she walked back home she realized that this was the first time in a very long time that she has felt safe anywhere. She was now starting to really feel at home. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

After finally putting the twins to bed, Rick and Michonne lay in the downstairs bedroom, chests moving rapidly after coming down off a high from a quickie that they managed to squeeze in before Rick leaves for scouting for supplies for themselves and for Negan. Michonne wanted more of Rick as he slipped reluctantly out of bed.

"Do you have to go?" Michonne whined.

"Yes. But if Carl and Enid takes the twins over to Enid's house tonight you will have as much of me as you want."

"Promise?"

Michonne asked mischievously as she opened her legs wide and closing them back quickly, teasing him. He rushed over by the window and seeing that no one had yet gathered he gave Michonne a wink and she shrieked.

"Another quickie wouldn't hurt right?"

Rick asked naughtily as he dived face first between her legs. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rick dispatched two teams to scout for supplies. One team of eight people headed by himself and Daryl were to bring back supplies for Alexandria and the second team headed by Glen and Abe with four others to bring back supplies for Negan.

"Everyone comes back home today!"

Rick announced loudly to the groups who quickly hugged and kissed their respective family members. Rick hugged and kissed Michonne, Judith and the twins and he also hugged Carl. Glen shyly kissed Maggie and their daughter Elsa.

Abe shamelessly squeezed Sasha's butt cheeks to her embarrassment and planted loving kisses on their daughter Robyn. Daryl and Rosita started speaking English at first then in Spanish as he whispered something very naughty in her ear while holding their son Caleb.

The other persons from the group also said their temporary goodbyes to their significant others. Michonne, Maggie, Sasha, Rosita and the other wives, lovers, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and friends watched as Rick and the others walked towards the gate and once outside, they went their separate ways disappearing from sight. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Lydia watched intensely as the groups formed, their significant others greeted their loved ones and wished them good luck and a successful and speedy trip back home and when they all walked out of the gate. She saw that Josiah was staying close to Carl.

She remembered when they found Josiah locked in a room in a house starving with the undead roaming all over the house. She always assumed that they were his family who had died and turned and either he didn't want to leave them or he couldn't leave the house out of fear. They killed them and rescued him.

When they were leaving the house, she remembered Josiah putting a toy car in one of the undead's pocket. It was a boy of about 10 or 11 years. Seeing the way Josiah was now clinging to Carl, she now understands that the undead they killed could have been his older brother and now Carl is like a substitute for him.

When Rick and the others had gone, the other members of Alexandria resumed their normal duties. She wasn't sold on this place at first but seeing how close knit they are and the positive effect it has had on the children, especially Josiah, she was now convinced that Beta did the right thing for them as a group. They have to make it work. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Being the only doctor at the Sanctuary and one half of the only possible medical team with Dr Bryce for miles, Negan had made it abundantly clear that he doesn't want Renee outside the Sanctuary walls unless it was absolutely necessary and that she must be accompanied by either him or one of his men at all times.

But since the loss of their baby, Renee has been restless. She would have been four or five months pregnant by now if their baby hadn't died. Subconsciously she touched her belly. The people at the Sanctuary are in good health as best as they can given the circumstances.

Jasmine is in a steady relationship and has been going out on patrol runs with the young people her own age. Gregory is gone and he's never coming back. She is eternally grateful that Jasmine never knew him…never even met him and she was quite contented not to even knowing about him when the opportunity presented itself.

The relationship between Negan and herself is still going strong but they haven't been intimate since the miscarriage. It's frustrating not having sex since she had gotten accustomed to having it atleast three times per week. It wasn't that she didn't want to have sex anymore but she was just afraid of disappointment should another miscarriage occur.

She needed to get out there…she needed a distraction. Making sure the coast was clear, Renee sneaked out the back door and headed towards the back gate when a patrol passed. She opened the gate and closed it behind her. However, she stayed close and waited patiently as two walkers lumbered towards her. She took out her knife. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

"Negan will be here soon." Marcus said as they watched Renee practice killing the walkers.

"I know." Dwight said.

"He's gonna be pissed if he catches her out there…by herself."

"Well we're watching her and she's safe. She's only practicing. Nothing's wrong with that."

"If she gets hurt or worse bitten…there is going to be plenty wrong with that. She and Dr Bryce are of high priority and value. They are doctors and doctors are in short supply these days. They have to be protected."

"She's his wife too."

"Yeah...and there's that."

"She's too good for him. People like Negan don't deserve people like Renee in their lives." Dwight said partially angry.

Marcus looked at him briefly before turning his attention back to Renee. He knows that there will always be bad blood between Negan and Dwight. After all, his wife Misty was one of Negan's wives. But when Renee and her daughter arrived at the Sanctuary and Negan fell in love with her, Misty was finally free of Negan thus giving Dwight the hope of reconciliation with Misty only to have her taken away again when Rick and his people attacked the outpost where she was staying. Despite all that has happened Marcus had to disagree with Dwight on the issue of Negan and Renee.

"I have to disagree with you on that."

"What do you mean?"

"People like Negan _need_ someone like Renee in their life. We have all seen the calming and soothing effect she has had on him. He's still ruthless as f*ck but now he's more personable…agreeable, or even more approachable since Renee came. She has a certain hold on him. You can't deny that. She is good for him…she is good for all of us."

"I still say he doesn't deserve her. I even told her that too."

"You did what?!"

"You heard me!" Dwight said defiantly.

"Jesus Christ Dwight! You're lucky she didn't say anything to Negan!"

"Well she didn't and even if she did what could he have done Marcus?! What else could he do to me?! I don't have anything because of him! Misty is gone! Because of him!"

"Hey! That's not entirely true! Negan told you to watch Alexandria, not attack them and clearly for good reason. Rick and his people are strong, capable, skilled fighters…both their men and their women. They took out two of our camps one after the other in less than 24 hours with no breaks in between. The only reason they are under Negan's thumb right now is because we have the numbers and they don't. If that wasn't the case, this arrangement we have with them could be much much different."

"Negan needs to be taken out and there is nothing you could say to change my mind on that."

"I know. Just be careful who you're saying it to though."

Dwight said nothing as they continued to watch Renee practice. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Negan came back from a supply run and his first stop on his way in was in the medical room. When he went in he found it empty. He walked around for alittle while and even asked a few persons if they had seen Renee. He went up to their bedroom and showered. He was walking back down the stairs when he saw Marcus and Dwight through the second floor hall window in the yard looking at something at the back gate. He walked out to meet them.

"Have you guys seen Renee?"

Before they could answer, he heard the rustling of leaves and looked past their shoulders to see Renee putting down two walkers in one blow.

"What the f*ck?!" **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***


	70. Chapter 70

**Chapter 70: "Eyes" Part 1**

 **Author's Note:**

 **I want to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas. Please enjoy this special time that you have with your family and friends. I pray that you all are happy and safe wherever you are. Happy blessings and happy reading :) :) :)**

Negan stared at Marcus and Dwight, eyes glowing mad and fist clenched. He looked back at Renee and saw her retracting her knife from the walkers she had just taken down and walked towards two more what was coming towards her. His heart stopped momentarily when it seemed that she hesitated but he felt a sense of pride when she also took out those walkers as well with ease. He turned back to Marcus and Dwight.

"What the f*ck is she doing out there?! And by herself no less!"

Dwight, unable to contain his disgust for Negan, excused himself. Negan ignored him. He knows Dwight still blamed him for Misty's death and he knows that Dwight is going to be a problem. He chose to ignored him for now.

"She's been going out and practicing killing walkers."

Negan's eyes narrowed at Marcus.

"Has been? How long has she been doing this?"

Marcus saw both worry and wrath on Negan's face. He knows that Renee means a lot more to him than just being a doctor and Negan will absolute lose his mind if any harm comes to her or Jasmine in any way.

"As far as I know for the past two weeks but she could have been practicing before then."

"And you let her?"

"What the hell am I supposed to do Negan? She's not a child that I could just scold and send to her room! She's an adult. Besides…she doesn't even know that I have been watching over her this whole time. She probably thinks no-one knows what she's been doing."

Marcus saw the vein bulging at the side of Negan"s head and his knuckles turning white from his fisted rage.

"You need to talk to her."

With that Negan walked away from Marcus. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Renee wiped the walker's blood off her knife on the leaves of a nearby tree. Looking at a little more than a dozen bodies on the ground around her, she felt proud of herself. She hasn't been out on a supply run since arriving at the Sanctuary but her kill skill level was still there.

She scanned her surroundings and she didn't see any more walkers that needed to be put down. However, it was getting late and Negan would be back soon. Renee walked back through the gate and locking it behind her, she headed inside in her mind somewhat undetected. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

When Renee walked into the bedroom Negan was there...lying down on the bed. She jumped back, startled at seeing him.

"Hey…you're back."

"Yeah. Just walked in."

"Ok." She paused looking around the room. "I'm going to take a shower."

Negan simply nodded at her as she slipped into the bathroom. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Abe and Glen and their group have been on the road for the past hour. Aside for taking out a few walkers and searching a couple of abandoned vehicles they have not been having much luck. When they heard a vehicle approaching, Abe took a couple of the men and hid in the nearby forest guns drawn while Glen and the rest of their people stay on the road to remain visible.

The vehicles came to a stop infront of Glen and company and when the men alighted Glen recognized some of them. They were saviours. Both fractions looked at each other until the leader of the saviours pack spoke to Glen.

"You could tell the rest of your men to come out of the forest now. We already know where they are."

A couple of seconds passed until Abe and the others emerged from hiding. Abe took his position front and centre next to Glen. The man looked at Abe from head to toe.

"You're a big f*cker aren't you?"

Abe made no response. The man put his hand up in the air gesturing towards the Alexandrians.

"Look! We are not going to hurt you per Negan orders."

No Alexandrian said anything.

"You guys looking for supplies?"

"That's none of your business." Glen responded.

"Actually it is. If we help you in your duty we help ourselves."

"Why don't you keep going your way and we'll keep going ours? We don't need your help!" Abe said.

The man smiled at Abe and signalled for his men to step aside for Abe and the others to continue on. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

"Are they just going to keep following us?" Glen asked as he glanced back at the saviours who were following them...some on foot, others in vehicles.

"Looks like it. I don't like it anymore than you but there is nothing we could do about it." Abe said. "Well, atleast for now."

Both groups walked and drove along each other on the road in eerie silence.

"This is the furthest we have ever come." Glen observed.

"Yeah."

Suddenly one of the Alexandrians shouted out, grabbing everyone's attention.

What's that over there?"

Everyone, Alexandrians and Saviours headed into the forest in the same direction that was being pointed at. Soon they came upon a huge two storey colonial style house standing in the middle of the clearing. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

It was dinner time at the Sanctuary and everyone was down in the hall eating. Renee had taken her plate and made herself comfortable in a cosy corner on a sofa with her legs folded under her.

She was famished but she had to take her time so as to not raise Negan's suspicion that she has been unnecessarily exerting herself and risk him finding out that she have been outside the walls killing walkers. She has put down the most walkers ever today since she began practicing.

She put a large spoonful of beans in her mouth when Negan sat down next her. She began chewing slowly.

"How is it?" Negan casually asked.

Renee just nodded her head as her mouth was too full to speak. Negan took a spoonful of beans from his own plate.

"It's good."

Renee finally swallowed.

"Yeah."

They continued eating, Renee concentrating on her food and Negan, on her. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

The Alexandrians and the Saviours have been looking at the house for the past fifteen minutes, killing the few stray walkers that came their way as well.

"Do you think someone is living there?"

"It looks deserted."

"Doesn't mean it's unoccupied."

"True."

"There could be food and other essentials."

"Yeah…maybe."

"Let's just do this and get it over with and done. Something about this place bugs the piss snat out of me."

Glen signalled for them to move forward cautiously. Kenneth, leader of the saviours group looked on, but signalled for some of his men to move forward with Abe and the others. They all cautiously moved forward towards the house. Glen took some of their people and leaving Abe with the rest.

They circled the house looking for any signs of occupancy. There was none and they gathered back at the front of the house. Abe took point and he slowly walked up the muddy stairs to the front door. Abe knocked loudly to attract any walkers that may have been inside.

He waited for a minute and when nothing was heard he signalled for the others to come forward. Half of the saviours also followed Abe and the others inside. The room was large and dusty. They all stood quietly for a couple of seconds. Hearing nothing, Glen started giving orders.

"Spread out and find anything useful."

Everyone, including the saviours did as they were told.

"Jackpot!" Someone yelled from the kitchen of the house.

Some of them went in and there staring straight ahead of them was the cupboards and the pantry laden with canned foods. The cans were all packed neatly, labels facing forward and in height order. In their excitement, the others began searching the other cupboards. Abe watched suspiciously at the set-up, feeling very uneasy.

"Something's not right here." Abe murmured to himself but Glen heard him.

"I am getting that same feeling too."

They looked at each other.

"There is no way a big house like this in the middle of nowhere would still be stocked with this much food."

"I think we should leave…like right now."

Abe and Glen looked at their group that were already loading their fruitful bounty in large garbage bags which they had brought with them.

"Wait here." Abe said out loud as he walked back into the living room of the house. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

In the living room, Abe looked around. Everything looked normal. The windows had bars on them. He knocked on the walls and realized that they were abit hollow inside. He continued knocking along the wall until he came upon an almost invisible transparent wire.

Using his knife, he pulled the string slightly off the wall. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the string wasn't an ordinary string but it was a trip wire. His eyes bulged and he raced back to the kitchen.

"Don't touch anything!"

He was too late as one of the saviours took up a can of baked beans which was unfortunately attached to the trip wire. Suddenly the front door to the house slammed tightly shut and a loud screeching noise was heard. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

The sudden slamming of the front door and loud screeching noise brought Kenneth to his feet.

"What the f*ck?!" **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Abe didn't see it coming but he saw the terror on Glen's face as they faced each other.

"Abe!" Glen screamed.

He didn't see what Glen saw but he felt it. He felt something forceful in his back and the accompanying excruciating pain enter him through the side of his lower back and exited through the side of his belly. He gasped loudly looking down and saw the end of a large pick axe protruding out of him as blood spilled from his mouth.

"Oh God!" one of the men cried out on seeing what happened the Abe. Then they heard screams from other men in other parts of the house. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

The screams sent Kenneth and the rest of the saviours outside with him dashing towards the house. When they looked inside they were rendered speechless as they saw men, saviours and Alexandrians alike running for cover or dropping to the ground injured or possible dead. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Glen felt the first burning sensation in his arms and then his neck.

"Take cover!" Glen barked. "The house is rigged!"

As Glen dived under a nearby table, he looked around and saw that sharp objects were firing from the walls of the house. They had to get out of there now. The screams of the men was deafening but Glen pushed it out of his mind as he tried to make his way towards Abe. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Abe was beginning to feel numb from the pain. In addition to the pick axe in his body, he was getting a burning sensation in his upper back, legs and hands. Taking a deep, agonizing breath, he grabbed the doorpost and slowly pulled his body towards it and off the pick axe.

It was too much as he screamed out and let go. He felt warmth running down the front of his leg and touched it. It was his own blood draining from him. He huffed and puffed painfully and looked on as persons scampered to safety.

"Abe!" Glen screamed out again.

Focusing on Glen's voice, Abe made one last attempt to free himself. Holding on to the door frame again, he closed his eyes, held his breath and yanked….hard. He felt release and cold air rushing into his body. It was the last thing he remembered. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

When Glen saw Abe's limped body fell to the ground all thoughts for his own safety flew out the window. He hastened to his feet and dived over on the ground next to Abe and began shaking him to wake up.

ABE! ABRAHAM! Wake up."

Abe's skin was cold and clammy and the ginger was now white as a sheet. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

When Kenneth and the rest of the saviours reached the house they found that the front door was jammed shut.

"What the hell is going on!"

Kenneth yelled as he and the other men tried to open the door with fists and kicks. Suddenly the noise in the house stopped leaving only the moans of the injured inside. They froze as they heard a click and the front door slightly creaked open. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Abraham was unresponsive to Glen's pleads. He rose up Abe's shirt and saw the gaping hole in his friend. A saviour nearby puked instantly on seeing the wound. Glen quickly took off his shirt and stuffed it inside the wound trying to prevent further loss of blood as other Alexandrians surrounded him.

"Oh God! We have to get him to a doctor!" One of them exclaimed.

"We don't have one! Denise is dead!" Another yelled.

"What are we going to do?! We can't let him die! He has a wife and baby!"

The sudden inflow of light into the room from the front door dragged everyone's attention. It was Kenneth. He had heard their predicament.

"We have a doctor. If you want to help your friend you need to come with us." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

It took six men to carefully carry Abe out of the house and thankfully no-one else got seriously injured and no-one died. Taking whatever they had already got into garbage bags, Alexandrians and Saviours made a hasty retreat from the house. They didn't want to risk taking anymore food and triggering another trap laying in wait for them.

Outside walkers was already beginning to descend on the house because of the noise. Both groups worked together and cleared their path back to the vehicles and when Abe was safely secured he gave orders to his men.

"Take them to the Hilltop to Dr Bryce!"

"My people are going with them."

Kenneth nodded and Glen went over and whispered.

"When you get there don't make them realize that we know the Hilltop. Find some way to communicate to Dr Bryce that the saviours don't know that we know each other. Please be careful."

They nodded and they went into the jeep and watched as they drove off. One truck was left behind and Glen watched as the remaining saviours took out the rest of the walkers.

"What are we going to do about the house?"

Kenneth looked at him.

"We can't just leave it here standing!" Glen said protesting. "That house is booby-trapped and other people could wonder in and get hurt like Abe and even die! We don't need anymore walkers roaming around. We have enough to deal with already!"

"What do you suggest?"

"Burn it! Burn it down!"

"Did it have anything useful in there?"

"Yeah…food. Lots of it but you and the rest of your people are welcome to go inside and get it while I wait outside."

Kenneth picked up the sarcastic tone in Glen voice.

"Don't be a f*cking ass!"

Both men stared at each other until Kenneth called out to his men.

"Burn it down!" **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Saviours guards posted at the gates of the Hilltop saw a jeep speeding coming towards them. They raided their weapons to open fire but quickly withdrew them when they recognised it as one of their own.

"Open the gates! Now!"

The gates swung open just in time as the jeep came screeching into the yard. Several persons ran up to it confused. There were loud gasped as Abe was brought out, bleeding and pale. Dr Bryce came running out of the manor house and his heart stopped when he saw who it was.

"Bring him inside!"

Abe was gingerly carried inside and the residents looked on as a trail of blood followed them into the house. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Kenneth, Glen and the others watched as the house went up in flames. As they watched, slight movement caught Kenneth's eye to the right and he turned. There he saw a cluster of walkers coming towards them from between the trees but something was off with one of them. The walker appeared to just be standing there, staring at them. While it looked like a walker, it wasn't moving like one and it look like it was clutching something in its hand. He squinted his eyes as the walker took a couple of steady steps forward among the others. Not understanding what his naked eyes were seeing Kenneth reached into the back seat of the truck and pulled out a binocular. When he peered through it the walker was gone. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

When Abe was placed on the examination table, to the untrained eye it would look like he was already dead. Susan, a Hilltop resident was already in the room with him. He has been training her for the past couple weeks in basic medical and minor surgery techniques. As Dr Bryce check on Abe's vital signs Susan ordered everyone out of the room. When they were alone she spoke in a whispered tone as they stripped Abe.

"I don't understand. They have a doctor in Alexandria. Why would they bring him here and why are they with those animals?"

"I was wondering the same thing. Call one of Rick's people in here but don't make it look suspicious. I need answers."

Susan nodded and left the room. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Once outside, Susan scanned the group of people who just arrived. The group turned and faced her.

"Was anyone of you with this man when he got hurt?"

"Several Alexandrian and Saviour people put up their hand but when she saw the wink from one of the Alexandrians she got the hint. She looked at each one of them, pretending to be struggling with who she wanted to speak to then she chose him.

"You!" she barked at him. "Come with me!"

The man followed her inside and once safely behind closed doors she began to grill him.

"What the hell happened?!"

They pushed the door and went into the examination room. Hansen began to explain.

"We were out scouting for supplies for Negan when we found this house. It had plenty of food but it was rigged."

"Rigged?"

"Yeah. Booby-trapped. Someone rigged one of the cans in the pantry as a pulley mechanism and it went off. Small stones and nails and other objects were rigged behind the walls in the house and it began shooting out at us."

Dr Bryce finally pulled out the piece of clothing that was partially stuffed in the wound. The hole was bigger than they thought.

"Small stones didn't do this!"

"No. A pick axe did. It was hooked up to the ceiling and came down on Abe when he was trying to warn us."

"Help me!" Dr Bryce commanded. Susan and Hansen turned Abe so that he could examine the other side of the wound.

"Why did you come all the way here? Where's Denise?"

When there was no reply, Dr Bryce looked at Herman.

"She's dead. The Saviours attacked us and she was killed."

Susan let out a small sob.

"When did this happen?" she asked through tears.

Dr Bryce mind went blank by the news. How could she be dead? He had to push all the anger he was feeling at the Saviours at this present moment in order to save Abe.

"Doesn't matter when. She's dead and Abe will be too if we don't do surgery soon."

"What do you need?" Susan asked.

"Not what? Who. I can stabilize Abe for the next half hour…stop the bleeding temporarily but he needs surgery and I can't do it alone. I need to speak to one of the Saviours. They have the only thing right now that could save Abe's life."

Susan began walking to the door but Herman stopped her.

"The saviours don't know that we know each other and Rick would like to keep it that way. It's the only advantage we have over them. So please tell as many Hilltop residents as possible to don't talk to us or even give the slightest hint that we are acquainted."

"Ok.'

Seconds later a saviour came into the room as Dr Bryce worked on keeping Abe alive.

"Yes?"

Still working on Abe Dr Bryce spoke.

"I need Renee to come here. I have to do surgery on this man and I can't do it alone."

The man looked Herman and then back at the doctor.

"I don't think that is possible given the circumstances."

This response caused much irritation to Dr Bryce. If Denise was alive he wouldn't have had to make the request.

"I assume these people work for Negan as well right? Scouting for supplies for him that's why you brought him here. So let me make it clear for you. If this man dies it will be one less person to do your dirty work and fewer supplies for you and your band of asswipes! So do whatever it takes and you get Renee here! NOW!"

Herman saw the saviour's face contort with anger at the way he was being spoken to. He stepped forward and raised his hand to strike the doctor but it stopped in mid-air. Dr Bryce didn't even flinch. He wouldn't dare put his hands on the doctor. Everyone at the Hilltop is valuable until they are not but the doctor isn't like the others. He is not to be harmed and must be protected at all times. He, like Renee is way too valuable. The man left the room fuming. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Susan returned to the room ten minutes later.

"Everyone was told. From now on we officially don't know who you people are."

Susan resumed at helping the doctor stabilize Abe.

"I sent for Renee."

"You think she will come."

"Yes…she will." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Through heavy reckless driving, word reached the Sanctuary that Renee was urgently needed by Dr Bryce to save a life. She grabbed her medical kit and a handful of supplies based on the description of how badly the person is wounded. Negan insisted on driving her there and they were accompanied by two other vehicles. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Dr Bryce was growing worried with each passing minute. He practically kept his fingers on Abe's pulse to make sure he was breathing and to detect any signs of distress. Suddenly the door flew open and Renee rushed into the room.

"I'm here! I came as fast as I can!"

A smile instantly came to his lips when he saw her. He knew that she will come to his aid despite what the Hilltop represented to her but his smile turned to a frown when Negan appeared in the doorway behind her. Now he only felt hate and rage building up in him for the man that was responsible for Denise's death. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**


	71. Chapter 71

**Chapter 71 – "Eyes" Part 2**

Despite his anger at Negan's presence, Dr Bryce worked with Renee as quickly as he can. He assumed Renee was in her thirties and with that, comes speed. Susan, who was in her forties, did her best as well to keep up with them.

"He lost a lot of blood."

Renee murmured looking down at their patient. Abe was deathly pale and breathing shallow.

"Thanks for coming so quickly."

Renee nodded as she concentrates on what their hands were doing. They cut and sewed and packed gauze in the hole in Abe's side several times over. After forty five minutes, they were done. Susan and another woman began cleaning around the area, placing blood soaked gauze in plastic bags. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Negan watched as Renee and Dr Bryce worked on Abe. He may not hold any love for 'Big Red" but losing him would be a big blow to Alexandria and by extension him because he is one of the able bodied men working to get supplies for him.

He zoned in on Renee's hand and was amazed at how fluent she moved. He was just accustomed seeing her treat his people but none of them ever had this extent of injuries to them. It was clear that she was in her natural element. He was also impressed with Dr Bryce as well.

Dr Bryce touched Abe as Renee set up the IV lines.

He's cold."

"He's strong. Truthfully, I don't know how he survived. You saved his life!"

"I just stopped the bleeding. The surgery saved his life."

"It did." Renee said as she flopped down on a chair against the wall, her eyes closed shut.

Dr Bryce glanced up at Negan who was smiling at them. Feeling himself getting angry at remembering the news that Denise was dead because of this man, he had to excuse himself. He pushed passed Negan at the door. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Renee became startled when she felt hands on her legs. She opened her eyes and saw Negan was kneeling down infront of her.

"What?"

"You did good."

"We will see. He has to survive the night first…hopefully without fever and infection."

Negan looked over at Abe.

"Have faith in yourself. He will live."

"This has nothing to do with faith Negan. It's about will power. I hope that he has something or someone to live for." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

 _Abe woke up to a blinding light. When he opened his eyes, he was confused by the surroundings. He was in Alexandria. The mood however was sombre, joyless. He saw a large gathering ahead and walked over. As he drew closer he heard a familiar voice screaming at the top of her lungs._

" _This is all your fault!"_

 _It was Sasha and she was being held back by Michonne, Maggie and the other ladies. He looked towards the person that all her hate was directed towards and saw that it was Negan. He angrily took a step forward and stopped when he heard Sasha's next words._

" _I'm a widow because of you! My daughter has to grow up without her father because of you!_

 _Then she cradled her belly._

" _Our unborn child will never know their father because of YOU!" Sasha screamed at him._

 _She made another attempt to get at Negan but all the ladies surrounded and comforted her. When Abe looked down, his heart sank down to the bottom of his stomach. He saw his own body on the ground._

 _He remembered was going on a supply run for the saviours and going into a house. He remembered running to warn Glen and the others in the next room and then an excruciating pain in his body._

 _After that, he remembered there were voices over him screaming at him to stay with them. One of the voices was a woman but she was unfamiliar to him. He remembers Dr Bryce's voice pleading with him to fight for his family. After a couple of minutes, a female voice called out the time of death._

" _Time of death…11:25 am." Then her sincere, heartfelt apology. "I'm so sorry."_

 _The last words he remembered murmured sent chills down his spine._

" _Oh God. His wife. His daughter."_

 _He began to panic and started swinging punches at Negan who was just standing there looking at a distraught Sasha. He ran over to Sasha as Michonne held her tightly on the ground and tried to hugged her himself._

 _That when he realized he was a ghost. He was dead. No-one can hear him...no one can see him. Suddenly Michonne asked that Sasha be taken to her house which Rosita and Carol quickly did. Michonne stepped forward to Negan._

" _You need to leave Negan. We have a funeral to prepare for."_

 _Negan quietly signalled to his men and they began moving out of Alexandria. There was a bright flash of light and suddenly, he was standing at his own funeral. Sasha, who was kneeling and crying at his grave suddenly collapsed to the ground._

 _He rushed forward and stopped abruptly. Tears sprang to his eyes. He couldn't help her. He felt like a failure. He didn't fight hard enough to come back to his wife and daughter and now he learns that he was going to be a father again._

 _The sound of cars can be heard rolling up to Alexandria gates and men rushed to open it when the gate's watch shouted that it was Rick returning. Rick saw the gathering and ran up to them._

 _He saw the look on Michonne face and glancing over her shoulders saw an unconscious Sasha being carried inside while Robyn wailed in Maggie's arms. Michonne rushed into his arms. That's when he saw the freshly dug grave. He connected the dots. He held Michonne firmly at her shoulders. He could see that she was trying hard not to cry and to be strong for the others._

" _What happened?! Did Negan kill…."_

 _Rick swallowed hard unable to fathom and finish the sentence. Michonne's voice cracked as she answered._

" _Abe, Glen and the others went into a house looking for supplies for Negan. The house was booby-trapped. Abe got hurt. They took him to the Hilltop…to Dr Bryce because we no longer have a doctor. He couldn't save him."_

 _Michonne hugged Rick again, this time crying silently into his chest._

" _What are we going to do?" Michonne asked._

 _Rick was quiet for a while and Michonne looked up at him._

" _Rick?"_

" _Its war!"_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

When Glen returned to Alexandria and told Rick and the others about what had happened to Abe, it triggered a wide range of emotions among fellow Alexandrians. While Rick and several others were livid, Sasha was in a state of panic and wanted to go immediately to the Hilltop.

Despite the urge himself to go, Rick knew he had to be level headed. Glen had told them that he had instructed the others who had accompanied the saviours to the Hilltop to safely pass on word to the Hilltop residents to not make known that they are already allies.

Rick agreed with Glen's course of action and after awhile convinced Sasha that Abe will be safe, that Dr Bryce will do everything in his power to save Abe's life and that they still have to main the anonymity that they don't know the Hilltop.

Without anyway to contact the Hilltop secretly, they all had to rely on the successful relay of Glen's instructions to all intended parties. The rest of the day everyone was on high alert. That night, it was doubtful that anyone would get any sleep as they await contact from Negan and any word on Abe's condition. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

The sun was now setting in. Both Renee and Dr Bryce checked on Abe repeatedly after his surgery. Renee had asked that beetroot be crushed, boiled and cooled. When that was done, she and Susan took turns giving feeding the mixture to Abe via a feeding tube.

When asked about it, she explained that beetroot is a natural blood builder and Abe needed it if he was to survive. After feeding Abe for the fourth time, Dr Bryce decided to give her a break so that she could take a few hours rest.

She thanked him as she went outside to take in some fresh air before retiring to bed. Once outside it was now near dark and there was hardly anyone outside. After a couple of minutes, her eyes involuntarily turned and rest on the one place that is source of an inner pain that she tried so hard to forget.

She put her hand on her tummy. Her pregnancy would have been clearly visible by now. She wondered if she would have given Negan a son or a daughter. Either one would have been good for her as long as she had a safe delivery of a healthy baby. That alone would have been blessing enough for her.

She suspected that since he already consider Jasmine as his own, he would have wanted a son. They have managed to get back on track somewhat since the miscarriage but they still haven't been intimate other than kissing and cuddling.

Since that time, she often wondered if this was the end of her relationship with Negan. There was no doubt that she loved him and vice versa so she had to believe that they can survive this. The wind began to blow chilly and when she turned around to go back inside, Negan was standing there, looking at her.

They stared at each other for a couple seconds before Negan approached her. He reached for her hand and she intertwined her fingers in his. Stepping forward she placed her face against his chest.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Renee looked up at him.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Negan shrugged his shoulders.

"I just want us to get back to where we use to be."

"Me too."

"I think about him all the time."

"Him? What makes you so sure it was a boy?" Renee laughed.

"I don't know. I just had a gut feeling."

"So if it was a girl would you have been disappointed?"

"Of course not! A girl would have been good too. We already have Jasmine and she also wanted a baby brother."

You talked to her about this?"

"Actually she talked to me. She was disappointed about the miscarriage. She was really looking forward to having a sibling. She wanted a brother. Even had a name picked out."

Renee pulled away slightly from Negan.

"Are you serious?"

Negan planted a light kiss on her lips.

"Yes."

A few seconds passed with Renee looking at him anticipating.

"Well? Aren't you going to tell me?"

"Nope."

"Well that sucks! What about you? Did you have a name in mind."

"I wasn't really thinking about names. I was just anxious for him to come into the world so I could hold him."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

Negan hugged her tightly and they went inside. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Renee and Dr Bryce took turns during the night monitoring Abe's condition. They changed his bandages and it was on Renee's turn at 3:30am when she realized that an infection was beginning to quickly set in and Abe's blood pressure was rising as a result.

Working quickly, she rushed into the pantry. Gathering several handful of garlic, she put a few pegs in water to boil quickly in the kitchen while she crushed others in a small glass bowl to make a paste.

She then attempted to put some of the paste under Abe's tongue but was having some difficulty. On her way to wake Dr Bryce, she saw that Negan was awake. She walked into their room.

"I need your help."

Negan followed her and her instruction in keeping Abe's mouth open while she applied the paste.

"What's that for?"

"His blood pressure is high. We need to bring it down otherwise he could suffer a stroke. The blood loss plus the surgery took its toll on his body."

Negan watched carefully as Renee applied the thick paste under Abe's tongue. Disappearing into the kitchen, she came back with a steaming liquid in a small cup and a syringe in hand.

She disappeared again with several ice cubes in her hand which she dropped into the steaming cup. With a quick stir of her finger, cooling the brew down, Renee filled the syringe with it and carefully injected its contents into the IV line.

"And what's that for?"

"He has a fever. It's an infection. Garlic is a strong natural anti bacterial agent. It will help fight the infection."

"Will he ok?"

"We will only know for sure later in the morning."

"He's from Alexandria."

"Rick's group?'

"Yeah. He has a wife and young child."

For the first time, Renee saw concern in Negan's face. Maybe she could use this to her advance and lessen his strangle hold on Rick and his people.

"So he has people depending on him. He has a family."

"Yes."

Renee took his hand in hers.

"So now that he is here he can't scavenge supplies. What are you going to do to ease up their obligations to you?"

Negan turned and looked at her. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

When Dr Bryce came into the room, he was taken aback to see Negan standing watch over Abe with Renee fast asleep on a cot in the corner of the room. As he looked at the time, it was 5am. He didn't acknowledge Negan's presence in the room as he walked over to check on Abe. He was puzzled by the strong smell of garlic in the room. Negan spoke.

"His blood pressure was rising and he had an infection. Renee caught and treated it."

The doctor said nothing as he began changing the bandages. Negan rose from the chair and walking over, he kissed Renee on her forehead.

"If she asks for me, tell her I'm going to Alexandria." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

It was safe to say that that no one in Alexandria got a good night's rest. Sasha hasn't slept a wink and was walking over to Rick's doorstep at the crack of dawn. She had left Robyn at Maggie's house so as to not disturb her nap time. Rick had just opened his front door when one of the look outs on the front gate shouted.

"Saviours!"

Rick and some other men ran to the front gate as it opened and two cars rushed in. Most of the Alexandrians came out of their homes as Sasha ran back to her house to get her daughter. Negan stepped out of the car. He felt the angry energy in the atmosphere. He walked up to Rick. Daryl and Glen flanked his sides.

"I come in peace Rick. However if I don't return there will be consequences."

Rick glared at Negan.

"Where's Abe?"

"I want to see Abe's wife."

"Not a f*cking chance!" Rick roared.

"I am here!" Sasha announced as she pushed her way through the crowd and stood next to Rick.

Negan's eyes brightened at the little freckled face, red hair girl in her mother's arms. She is the splitting image of her father.

"Where is my husband?!" Sasha demanded.

"He is safe. My men brought him to the Hilltop, another group that works for me. They have a doctor there. His name is Bryce. He and Renee performed surgery on Abe. Everything went well but his blood pressure went up and he developed an infection."

Sasha gasped painfully but he continued to speak to assure her that all is still well.

"Don't worry. Renee caught it and treated it in time. When I left there this morning, Dr Bryce was looking in on him. He is still alive."

Rick intervened.

"You said Dr Bryce and Renee performed surgery."

"Yes. Renee is a doctor as well."

"I want to see him!" Sasha stated forcefully.

"Not going to happen. Not until I get the all clear from Bryce and Renee that he can receive visitors."

"I WANT TO SEE MY HUSBAND!" Sasha screamed.

Rick placed his hand on her shoulders to calm her down. Robyn began crying in her arms and Sasha comforted her as she stormed back to the house. Negan now turned his full attention to Rick.

"Since you're a man short and until he fully recovers, whatever supplies you find are your own. My men will not be coming by to collect half of everything and the instruction that they were given to not bother anyone of you still stands."

He stepped closer to Rick.

"But make no mistake, Alexandria still belongs to me. You and your people still work for me."

With that Negan got into his vehicle and left. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

The morning sun woke Renee up. Rubbing her eyes, she looked around, surveying the room. Negan wasn't there and Dr Bryce had just walked in.

"Good morning."

Renee yawned.

"Good morning. How is our patient?"

"Doing good…thanks to you."

Renee cocked her head at him confused.

"Negan told me what you did."

She walked over and saw that Abe's blood pressure was holding steady and he no longer had a fever. But most importantly, he survived the night.

"Where's Negan? Back at the Sanctuary?"

"No. Alexandria."

"Did he say what for?"

"No."

"Ok. I'll talk to him when he gets back. I'm going to talk a shower." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

The water felt good on her body and Renee didn't want to leave the shower. Groaning to herself, she got out, quickly dried and got dressed. She went downstairs and headed out to the yard. She wasn't feeling too hungry but knows that she had to atleast put something in her stomach.

She walked around the courtyard where the fruit trees were laden with fruits of all types. However when her eyes fell on a Julie mango trees near one of the gates, she gravitated towards it. She picked up a nearby spear and reached up to pick one of the reachable fruits.

With a few jabs at a branch, three mangoes fell to the group. She picked them up smiling and that's when she caught movement out of the corner of her eyes. She looked towards the gate and out into a short distance where she saw a small group of walkers lingering around by the outline of the forest.

She smiled, immediately thinking about all the practice she did back home. However, as she watched the herd, something seemed off about one of the walkers. It was just standing still, not lumbering around like the others. She walked up to the gate and holding on, she peered through it.

The walker just stood there, staring back at her. Then it took three steady steps forward pulling its hand from behind its back. Something shiny reflected back at her through the morning sun. Unsure of what she saw, Renee stepped back and screamed out when she bumped into a Hilltop resident who was just walking past her.

"I'm sorry."

She profusely apologized and when she turned back, she saw the walker still staring at her. Then after a few seconds it turned slowly and stalk back into the words. Renee looked around her. It seems that no-one else saw what she just did. She grabbed on tightly on the bars of the gate and kept staring out towards the forest. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**


	72. Chapter 72

**Chapter 72: "The King"**

 _ **I want to apologize for the delay in the update in this story. I had a lot going on for this past month hence the delay. I also want to assure all those people who sent me private messages that I will answer them as soon as possible. I am setting up a vigorous schedule for the updates of my stories so that there wouldn't be any more delays. I just need to shift around some things first. I will let you guys know. Please enjoy and review this update.**_

"I think we could camp here for a couple hours. Get some rest."

Beta looked around at where they were. They were in a mini clearing.

"We should set up a perimeter around here all around us. Take turns in taking half an hour naps."

Beta agreed with Jesus's assessment. He looked at Jimmy, George and Izul. They all nodded in agreement.

"Sounds good."

The men put down their bags on the grass and began setting up trip wires with bottles, spoons and cans attached to it. They moved silently and quickly, each one deep in their own thoughts. It had been just over two weeks since they left Alexandria without seeing their loved ones.

Although Jesus loved being in Alexandria, he was worried about how things were faring at the Hilltop. Negan had his people under his thumb just like Rick and his people. They needed to find more people and fast. It is already hard enough living in fear of the undead. It is just worst having to worry about the living too.

Since leaving Alexandria, Ingrid has never been away from Beta's thoughts. He knows that she, Lydia, the children and the rest of his people are safe. Safer than they has ever been since this whole end of the world shit started and since leaving Alpha and her misfits.

They have been unsuccessful in finding the people on horses that Jesus said he encountered earlier on and quite frankly, he was hoping to find them first before Alpha finds them. When he and the others left, people died.

In the time that he spent with Alpha and the Whisperers, he knows that Alpha will be seeking revenge against him and all those who left with him as well. That vengeance will be not be quick and will most definitely be painful.

He can't allow Ingrid, Lydia, the children or anyone else suffer that fate as they have seen so many others have. He would rather die first. After ten minutes, their perimeter was secured and the men settled down to eat and they did so in silence as well.

"Jesus and I will take the first watch while you guys sleep."

George, Jimmy and Izul didn't question his statement. They simply pushed their plates away from them, and grabbing their knapsacks, pushed them under their heads as pillows. Jesus got up and made one last perimeter check and when he turned around Beta silently gestured for him to follow him.

Jesus looked at the men on the ground and followed Beta to a large tree on the farthest side on their defences out of the others hearing.. He saw a certain amount of determination in Beta's eyes and he didn't like it one bit.

"We will find those people on horses Beta."

"We've been out here for a while Jesus. Nothing yet. Not even tracks of horses."

"We will find them. We have too."

"I am not doubting that we will find them…eventually."

"So you're worried about something else."

"I am worried about someone else finding us first."

"The whisperers?" Jesus looked around defensively. "Have you seen signs of them lurking around?"

"No. Not yet but…."

Jesus noticed a change in Beta's behaviour."

"You came out here for a different reason…didn't you?"

Beta remained mum and thoughtful.

"What are you thinking?"

Beta stepped closer to him.

"I believe that Alpha or her people will find us eventually, either out here or at Alexandria sooner or later, long before we find the people we came out here for. I came out here in anticipation that if she does, I will sacrifice myself so that you and the others will get away."

"You can't do that! We're a team."

Beta became irritable.

"When Alpha comes for us, she will be coming for blood. If I give myself over to her maybe it will appease her and she will leave Ingrid and the rest alone."

"And what if she doesn't? What if she wants all of you, you would have died in vain and Ingrid and everyone else will be no safer. What am I supposed to tell your wife?"

"She already knows what I would do if we are cornered. That's why she was begging me to stay. She knows it may be the last time we see each other."

"I cannot and will not accept this. We left Alexandria as a team and we will go back to Alexandria as a team. All five of us. I may be the messenger between the communities but I am sick and tired of being the bearer of bad news."

"If it should go down as I suspect it will and I pray to God it doesn't, tell Ingrid that I love her. That she is stronger than she gives herself credit for. Tell her that she and the others are Rick's people now and she needs to support him and Michonne in their fight against the Saviours and Alpha when the time comes. Tell her that I died knowing that she and the others are safe. "

"I am not going to do it. I am not going to aid you in this suicide mission you're so hell bent on. If Alpha finds us, we will fight her together…all of us and when we get back home, you will tell Ingrid that you love her yourself."

Jesus walked away quietly under Beta's sorrowful eyes. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

"What did you find Manick?"

"There are other groups out there Alpha. They went into a house they were scavenging and it seems like it was a trap. I heard screaming and they brought out a man badly hurt. They then broke off in two fractions."

"So it was a big group?"

"It could be."

"Was Beta with them?"

"No. I didn't see him there but maybe he's at their camp."

"You should have followed them."

They began walking to their camp.

"I couldn't risk it. One of them saw me."

Alpha turned abruptly.

"What do you mean one of them saw you?!"

Manick saw the anger rising in her eyes. He quickly clarified his statement.

"Well, he didn't exactly see me. They saw something that they will most likely question what they saw."

"Explain."

"Well I was standing behind the trees at the tree line some way off. They were other walkers around and they were staring directly in my direction."

"Don't let that happen again."

They continued walking.

"Get some rest. You will not be going back out there. I will send two other people out as soon as Pele comes back. I hope he has better news. I want Beta and the others found." **~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne sat on the porch watching the Alexandrians go about their business a little more carefree than before. It has been a long time since they could do that since being under Negan's strangle hold.

However, since his last visit, he had given them a reprieve from their weekly quota since Abe's accident. Sasha has been restless. She wants to visit Abe to take care of him herself but Negan was having none of it.

The ladies have rallied around Sasha to offer moral support and Rick had to talk her down several times from acting on the urge to just up and leave Alexandria bound for the Hilltop. She heard the door open behind her and when she looked back, it was Rick.

He was holding the door open for the twins to crawl out to meet her. She loved the fact that they were not affected by all the death and sorrow around them. They crawled to her and held onto her trying to stand up on wobbly legs.

Rick was on his knees behind to catch them should they fall back. When they did they giggled as they fell back into the protective arms of their father. Rick sat down next to her, neither one of them saying nothing for a couple of minutes as they save the temporary peace on their community.

"I think we should meet Renee. To thank her personally for helping Dr Bryce save Abe's life."

Rick looked at Michonne saying nothing. He knew that there is another reason why she wanted to meet Renee.

"We can also talk to her about Negan. Clearly she has some influence over him. I will bet anything that she was the reason why he decided to back off of us for a little while."

"He didn't even agree for Sasha to visit Abe until he gets the all clear from Dr Bryce and Renee."

"Exactly!"

Rick thought for a moment.

"There is a dynamic between them…just like you and me."

"We are nothing like them!"

"I know we are not the same Rick but he listens to her just like you listen to me."

Rick said nothing to her statement. While it sickens him the comparison Michonne made, she did have a point. Negan reacted when he was told that Michonne was intimidated by one of his men and he did asked after her to make sure she was alright. He knows that Abe, Glen and Daryl also advanced the same argument that Michonne was now making...that Renee could be the clue of getting rid of Negan without starting a war.

"Do you think he will bring her here?"

"I think he will if you asked nicely. Negan had a God complex. Just appeal to that."

They grinned at each other. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Beta, Jesus was taking their half hour rest while George, Izul and Jimmy kept watch.

"Going to take a leak." Izul announced to the others. They were eating.

"Too much information." Jimmy said annoyed.

Izul, shrugged his shoulders walking away from them. George and Jimmy watched as he went into the bushes. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

It was the loud roar and Izul's high pitched scream that cause George and Jimmy to shoot to their feet, weapons in hand. Beta and Jesus also scrambled to their feet, dazed from the sudden startled out of their much need sleep.

They turned their heads and weapons in the same direction when they heard the roar again followed by another scream. This time the sound was closer to them. Suddenly, Izul came running out of the woods, his pants around his ankles, his arms flailing wildly at them.

Suddenly a huge tiger came out of the woods, stalking behind him. Izul fell to the ground and the tiger slowly walked up to him and roared at him again.

"SHOOT!" Izul screamed.

"NO!" another voice screamed at him.

They heard the sound of hooves and looked up. A man on a horse, followed by two others on horses appeared.

"Shiva means him no harm. He just interrupted his favourite activity of killing the undead."

Jesus and Beta kept their eyes on the man as George and Jimmy cautiously walked towards Izul, who was frozen stiff on the ground.

"Shiva!"

The tiger turned around and walked towards his master, sitting at the man's horse's feet. The man turned his attention to them, smiling at the puzzled looks on their faces.

"Hi. I'm King Ezekiel."


	73. Chapter 73

**Chapter 73 – "Proposal"**

Jesus, Beta, George and Jimmy all stared back at the people on horsebacks. Izul's eyes however were fixed firmly on Shiva, who was sitting still at her master's feet. Ezekiel looked at Shiva, then at Izul and smiled as he dismounted the horse. He walked over and stood infront of the men. Shiva followed and Jesus and the others took a step back guns poise in hand. Ezekiel chuckled.

"Who are you?"

Whilst keeping an eye on Shiva, Jesus cautiously stepped forward.

"We represent the communities Alexandria and the Hilltop and it is so good to finally meet you again."

"Again?"

"Well we didn't formally meet the first time but I knew you were out there…people on horses."

Ezekiel cocked his head.

"It's a long story that doesn't matter right now. What does matter is that we have been travelling for weeks. My people need your help."

One of the men stepped forward.

"Your Majesty…we need to get back."

Ezekiel nodded at the man and walked back to his horse.

"If we need to talk, we can't do it out here. Follow me." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

From the outside, the school didn't look like much. There were weeds and vines growing up on the walls and fences. As they approached there was a shout.

"The King has returned!"

Large whole metal gates swung open infront of them. They went inside and Jesus and company was amazed by what they saw. It was a large contrast from the outside. There were people…lots of people. Men, women and children all walking around doing different things…planting, washing, patrolling the community. Suddenly a woman ran out to meet them. She threw herself in Ezekiel's arms.

"My beloved!" she cried.

Ezekiel smiled and they kissed. Then he turned to Jesus and the others.

"You will be shown to rooms to get freshen up and then we will talk."

He gestured out around them.

"Welcome to the Kingdom." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Enid stood at the door leading to the kitchen. She watched Carl, who was looking out the kitchen window. Since Glen brought news of what happened to Abe, he has been brooding…quietly.

"Carl?"

He turned around and she walked up to him. He pulled her close and she caressed his face.

"Marry me."

"I am marrying you Carl."

"I mean marry me now. Today or tomorrow for the latest."

Enid looked at him.

"Does this have something to do with what happened to Abe?"

"Abe and Sasha's life changed so quickly. It could happen to any of us!"

"Carl, please don't think like that! We have our whole lives ahead of us!"

"Do we?! I am sure Abe didn't go to scavenge thinking that it could be the last time he would see Sasha and Robyn."

"But it isn't going to be! He's alive and he will pull through. We just have to have a little faith."

"I do have faith but the reality is Abe could still die."

Enid said nothing.

"I don't want to wait anymore. Life is too short. If I die and I don't want too I want to die as your husband and you as my wife."

Fear is something that Enid was not accustomed to seeing in Carl but looking into his eyes, that is exactly what she saw. She kissed him passionately.

"Let's get married." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rick stopped and stared at his son along Alexandria's walls. He was on perimeter duties and he was trying to process the decision that Carl had just made.

"You don't agree."

"It's not that I don't agree. You and Enid are already getting married. It just seems that you are rushing to get married out of fear."

"It is fear dad. Fear that I will not live up to my promise to love and protect Enid and give her the family that she wants. I want to be a good husband to Enid and father to our kids. I want to give her the life that you and mom have."

Rick smiled with a sense of pride from Carl's words.

"Besides, we have always lived in fear…either of walkers and now humans. If we have nothing to live for, to fight for, then what is the point of living? Fear makes us stronger. We know that better than anyone."

Rick totally agreed with his son's wise words. Fear has always been the silent driving force.

"So when is the wedding?"

"Today…."

Rick cocked his head.

"Tomorrow?" Carl corrected.

"Well you better start making preparations then."

Carl hurried off while Rick made one last check of their fences before heading home. **~*~*~*~*~*~**

The first thing Michonne did when Enid told her news was to hug her excitedly. Then she rushed upstairs and quickly returned with a bracelet that Rick had given her a couple months ago.

"I think this would constitute as something old."

"I can't take this!"

"Yes you can and you will."

Enid took the bracelet with shaky hands.

"Do you have a dress?"

"I do have a bunch of clothes I got on one of my last runs some weeks ago but I haven't been able to check them out as yet. I got some really nice things."

"Well go home and check them out and don't worry about anything else."

Enid rushed out towards home. Michonne put her sleeping twins in the double stroller and quickly and quietly went over to Maggie's and Glen's house. **~*~*~*~*~*~***

It didn't take long for Alexandria to come alive with news of the impending wedding. The foot traffic in and out of Rick's and the other council members home was increased ten folds as everyone in the community was eager to chip in.

The wedding is the biggest positive thing to happen since the Saviours and everyone wanted to savour it. Now that they have been given a temporary reprieve from their quota to Negan, there was an abundance of food and drink for the celebration.

Carl and Enid paid a personal visit to Sasha to check on her...to see if she was ok. She assured them that she was happy for them despite Abe still at death's door. However, she admits that it did make her sad as she remembers her own wedding. They left knowing that she will be alright. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Maggie opened to a knock on her door. It was Ingrid and Lydia.

"We heard about the wedding. Just wanted to know if there is anything we could do to help."

"We could use all the help we can get."

She stepped aside and they walked in to meet Michonne, Rosita and the others. **~*~*~*~*~*~***

The church was packed to capacity with everyone wearing their best. Carl stood proudly waiting for his bride. Rick on the other hand shifted uncomfortably and nervously on his feet. Rosita whispered to Michonne.

"Jesus Christ! If I didn't know better I would say it was Rick getting married."

"He wasn't so nervous when we got married. As a matter of fact, he couldn't wait to say 'I do' to drag me off to get me pregnant."

"I know right! The speed the two of you left the church was amazing!"

"This is different. He's losing a son…his firstborn son."

"Shhhhh! Enid's coming."

There was a collective gasp as Enid began her descent down the aisle. Carl beamed with pride and satisfaction. Enid wore a cream knee length, form fitting dress. She had freshly picked flowers from near the pond in her hair and as a boutique in her hand.

Carl wore a neatly pressed white shirt and black soft pants. His shaggy hair was trimmed so Enid could finally see both his eyes with approval. She had bugged him for months about the length of his hair and she felt good that he had finally heeded, especially on this special day.

She took her place besides her husband as they smiled at each other. Michonne looked over across them to where Rick and the other groomsmen were standing. Not surprisingly, Rick was smiling at her. He winked, causing her to blush uncontrollably.

Michonne looked at Sasha who was by her side and saw that although she was smiling, she knows that her mind is filled with loneliness and sadness. She squeezed her hand. Sasha looked at her and smiled. **~*~*~*~*~*~***

Carl and Enid opted not to stick to the conventional vows of a wedding. Instead, they said their own vows, words that had true meaning in their heart.

"Enid…I promise to be your protector from all enemies at all times. I promise to be provider as a husband to you and as a father to our four children"

Carl glanced at Rick as subtle jab to him and grinned as the rest of the attendees chuckled as Rick's eyes bulged out of his head. He let out a loud exasperated moaned and looked at Michonne for emotional rescue. Tears sprang to Enid's eyes.

Carl's knows how much a big family means to her as she was an only child growing up. So when her parents died, she was left alone. She doesn't want that for her children. God forbid that something happens to her and Carl, having siblings around will help them get through those tough times. Carl continued with his vows.

"I promise to heed your counsel and wisdom in whatever decision I make for our family. I will love you unconditionally and be faithful to you."

It was Enid's turn.

"Carl…I promise to be a shield for you from all enemies seen and unseen and to help you steer our family on the right path. I promise to love you and not hurt you or cause you pain to turn away from me. I promise to be there when times are good and when they are rough and be a shoulder for you to cry on in your hour of need."

Carl nodded.

"I love you so much." Enid cried.

"I love you too."

Gabriel stepped in.

"I don't think there anything else that needs to be said other than Carl…you may kiss your bride."

Carl scooped up his new wife into his arms and they locked lips. There were loud oohs and aahs in the church. When they pulled apart they stared at each other.

"Oh crap! We forgot the rings!" Daryl shrieked.

There was an uproar of laughter in the church as Daryl handed the rings to Father Gabriel who gave them to Carl and Enid. They giggled as they slipped the rings unto each other finger.

"You may now kiss the bride…again."

Carl and Enid kissed again but more conservatively this time.

"I present to you Mr and Mrs Carl Grimes!" Gabriel announced. Everyone rose to their feet with a loud thunder of applause. The groomsmen gathered around Carl hugging and congratulating him while Michonne and the other bridesmaids surrounded Enid.

Despite it being a big day in Alexandria, Carl and Enid opted to not have a celebratory dinner. They wanted to conserve food as best as they can. After a brief gathering at Rick's house, everyone went to their homes contented.

When the last of the people left Rick and Michonne asked their son and new daughter-in-law to follow them. Michonne pushed the twins in their stroller and Judith walked between Carl and Enid. Soon, they were infront of one of the empty houses. He handed Carl the keys.

"Dad?"

"This is your new home."

Carl stared at him.

"I know you might have wanted to choose your own home but other than Lori's ring, my love and support this is the only other significant thing that I could give you."

Carl hugged his father.

"Thanks dad. We really appreciate this."

"Thanks Rick…or should I be calling you dad now."

"Rick is fine."

Enid turned to Michonne.

"Michonne is fine for me as well."

Carl and Enid kissed and hugged Judith and the twins. Then without warning, Carl swooped Enid up off her feet.

"Are you ready Mrs Grimes?"

Enid gave him a modest peck on the cheek.

"I'm ready Mr Grimes."

Rick and Michonne watched as Carl and his bride walked into their new home and closed the door behind him.

"I hope you're ready to be a grandfather."

Rick side eyed Michonne.

"I'm too young to be a grandfather."

Michonne scoffed and began pushing the stroller back towards their house.

"What's that scoff supposed to mean?" **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

After freshening up, Jesus, Beta and the others walked around the Kingdom amazed. The people were polite and friendly and the children played in naïve bliss.

"Do these people even know what's going on outside in the real world?" Izul questioned out loud.

"Oh we do!" a voice said behind them. they turned around to see a man standing behind them.

"We know that the dead are out there. We just choose to not let them prevent us from living a good, productive and happy life."

"I'm not talking about the walkers. They are the least of our problems. We are talking about other people…bad people."

Before the man could answer, another Kingdom resident joined them.

"King Ezekiel has summoned you." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

When Jesus, Beta, Jimmy, Izul and George walked into the hall, they were greeted by a bountiful feast laid out before them on a table. Ezekiel sat at the head of the table.

"Please sit down and break bread with me."

George, Jimmy and Izul wasted no time in sitting down. However, they did not start eating until Jesus and Beta took their seat. Ezekiel said a small grace prayer and gestured for them to begin eating. Everyone began eating except Jesus and Beta. Ezekiel noticed their hesitation.

"Is the food not to your liking?"

"On the contrary, I haven't had a feast like this since the world ended. However, I would rather get to the matter on hand."

"Which is?"

"We need you to join us…our communities to fight a growing threat that might soon come your way."

"And what threat is that?"

"As I had said earlier we are from the communities Alexandria and the Hilltop which I am originally from. The leader of the Hilltop is Dr Bryce and Rick is the leader of Alexandria. Beta and his group recently joined us."

"How did these communities meet?"

"We are trading partners. We supply them with food and they train our people in methods of combat. I act as a messenger between the both groups."

"And how has that been working out for the two communities?"

"Pretty good actually…that is until we met the Saviours."

Ezekiel stopped eating. Jesus continued.

"Their leader is a man called Negan and he sent some of his people to watch and infiltrated Alexandria in hopes of taking over eventually but they were discovered. There was a battle and most of the saviours were killed, some escaped and others were captured. Alexandria lost a lot of people…men, women and children."

Jesus paused to let his words soak in.

"A lot of people were seriously hurt as well. Rick's pregnant wife was shot and she and their babies almost died."

"Babies?"

"Yes. A boy and a girl. Other council members' spouses were also hurt."

"Council members?"

"Yes. Rick, Daryl, Abe and Glen. They are part of the council that run Alexandria along with their wives and a few others. The wives were the target. Abe's wife Sasha was beaten and she lost her baby. Daryl's wife Rosita was almost raped by one of the saviours. Glen's wife Maggie and Rick's oldest son was almost taken hostage. When the dust settled the captured saviours were interrogated and we learned that they have four camps. We formulated a plan and people from both the Hilltop and Alexandria attacked two of the saviours' camps. We thought that that would have been enough to send a message not to come at us again."

"But…."

"We underestimated their numbers. The camps we took out were small ones. The saviours came with a show of force. Now Rick is forced to give Negan half of everything they have when they visit."

"What about the Hilltop?"

I went back home to gather people to fight the saviours only to discover that they also have the Hilltop under their thumb as well."

"So what do you want from me?"

"It will only be a matter of time before the saviours find this place and all this…" Jesus gestured to the food and the general peaceful atmosphere in the room. "This will be no more. They will take everything away from you."

"So you want the Kingdom to join you in your fight against the saviours."

"Yes. Rick and his people are willing. Most of the people at the Hilltop were simple farmers but now under Alexandria's guidance, we have become skillful in defending ourselves. There wouldn't even be a need for the Kingdom to fall victim to Negan and feel the burden of what the Hilltop and Alexandria is experiencing right now."

There was silence at the table and Ezekiel and Jesus stared at each other.

"The only thing the saviours have on us is numbers. However, with you by our side, it would even the playing field. We would be able to fight hem effectively and could put an end to this human threat."

No-one said anything for a couple of minutes. Then Ezekiel rose from the table.

"I have heard you and I will need some time to deliberate."

"How much time?"

"Are you in a hurry?"

"No…not really but if you will be joining us, I would like to relay that to Rick as soon as possible. We will need to prepare."

"Give me three days…a week the most."

Jesus nodded and began eating. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**


	74. Chapter 74

**Chapter 74: "Bridge"**

Negan quietly slipped of the bed besides Renee as she slept peacefully. It was the first time they made love since the miscarriage. They used the pull out method as Renee didn't want to get pregnant again or atleast so soon.

Renee stayed at the Hilltop to monitor Abe but he had made several trips back to the Sanctuary to check on things. Supplies were not as bountiful because of the reprieve Alexandria was given but his people were still fed.

He looked out the window. The surroundings were always quite beautiful despite the bad memories it holds for them. Renee stayed clear of the greenhouse and only agreed to stay at the Hilltop full time on account of Abe's condition.

She never complained about her discomfort but it was evident by the cautious way she moved around. She was always most happy when Jasmine visited. They would sit and talk for hours. It was two weeks since his last visit to Alexandria with news of Abe and knew that his people will be anxious for an update.

He went down to check on Abe and Dr Bryce was already there. Dr Bryce only speaks to him when it was absolutely necessary or when he demanded an answer. He watched for ten minutes as Dr Bryce moved around doing various test on his patient.

"I'm going to Alexandria for a visit. What should I tell Rick and his wife about his condition?"

He didn't get a response.

"Doc?"

Dr Bryce answered without looking at him.

"He's coming around…slow but sure and he's clear from getting anymore infections."

He paused.

"I'm sure that his wife would be pleased to know that he called out her and their daughter's name a couple times when he was asleep."

"I'll do that. Let Renee know where I am when she wakes up."

Dr Bryce never replied. **~*~*~*~*~***

Rick and others had just come through the gates of Alexandria when two saviour trucks pulled up and drove through uninvited. Negan and his men came out and the residents in the streets became alert, hands on their weapons. It was a new policy the council had implemented in case of an attack.

Negan and Rick stared at each other.

"Unless you're here to bring word about Abe, you should leave.

Negan cocked his head to the side. Sasha appeared at Rick's side.

"Is Abe alright?"

"Your husband is doing well. He's out of the infection zone. He's been getting a lot of medication for the pain and he calls out your name Sasha and your daughter's."

"I want to see him!"

"Abe will be home soon enough."

"Please! Robyn misses her father! I miss my husband!"

Sasha was on the brink of tears and it enraged Rick.

"What the f*ck is wrong with you?! She's begging to see her husband! Robyn needs to see her father! This isn't fair! How would you feel if this was your wife?! Would you have like to know that she was begging an asshole like you to see you?! Think about her! You would have never wanted this for her! You would have never wanted this for your child!"

Rick stopped to let the impact of his words hung in the air between them. He had to get through to Negan somehow and if it meant to emotionally blackmail Negan into it, so be it. He is not just going to take Negan's word that Abe is ok. He had to see for him and Sasha has to see Abe. She needs it.

"You think that you could shame me into letting you come to the Hilltop?"

"I'm pointing out the truth of the situation if it was reversed! Please! Let us come to the Hilltop and see Abe for ourselves."

Negan said nothing for a couple of minutes. Despite not wanting to admit it, he knew Rick was right. To be this long away from Renee and Jasmine was unthinkable. What is Renee was still pregnant? To be away from his unborn child was unconscionable.

"Only you and Sasha! No one else!" **~*~*~*~*~***

Sasha handed Robyn over to Michonne and the other ladies.

"I know she wanted to see her father but I don't think that's a good idea. We don't know what we will find or even if Abe's alive."

"Negan is a lot of things but he wouldn't have kept up this charade of Abe being alive. What will it benefit him? He would have been pressing us even harder for supplies because with Abe dead, we would have been a man short. If we're short a man, he will be short of supplies. Abe's alive. I'm sure of it. It's in his best interest to make sure he lives."

Sasha hugged Michonne and the other ladies taking comfort in that thought. Michonne, Carol and the others watched as Rick and Sasha left in their own vehicle behind Negan. **~*~*~*~*~***

Renee was attending to Abe when Negan returned. She stopped when a third vehicle drove in. She didn't recognize it. Negan got out and a man and a woman from the third vehicle also got out and followed him. Soon they were in the medical room. The woman rushed forward as soon as she saw Abe. Renee suspected that this was his wife. Negan made brief but specific introductions.

"This is Rick, the leader of Alexandria and Abe's wife Sasha."

He didn't introduce Renee to them and that was deliberate. Renee stepped back and then eventually left the room. Negan followed her and Rick took note of that.

"It's nice that you brought them…that you brought Sasha. She needed this."

"Rick tried to use emotional blackmail on me."

Renee laughed.

"Seems like it worked. He got what he wanted. You brought him here."

"I'm not as heartless as people think."

"I know but they don't know you like I do."

"Everything I do is to protect my people. I will never let what happened to Nelva and Cindy happen again. Not on my watch. I don't care what it takes."

Renee hugged him.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that."

He cupped her face and kissed her passionately. Rick watched intently. While Sasha never left Abe's side since they arrived, Rick walked around the Hilltop. He got subtle nods from Hilltop residents.

Negan must never know their affiliation as it their only advantage. He was also being followed around by one of Negan's men. He was hoping get a private audience with Renee but it may not be possible. He needed to buy his time. **~*~*~*~*~***

Renee watched Sasha holding Abe's hand and silently praying. She turned to leave to give them privacy when Sasha called out to her.

"Renee is it?"

Renee walked into the room.

"Yes."

"Negan mentioned that your name when he came to Alexandria. He said you saved Abe's life. Thank you."

"It was a team effort with Dr Bryce."

"Still...thank you."

Renee nodded.

"I want to take him home. Is that possible?"

"He can't travel as yet. But even if he can, you would need to have a doctor. I was told that you don't have one."

Sasha instantly became upset as she thought of Denise. Negan's people killed her and left Alexandria without a vital service and robbed them of a valuable member of their community and friend.

"We had one but…."

She clammed up. If they were to get Renee to get Negan off their backs, they cannot blame her for the things he did even though she is guilty by association.

"We had a doctor but she died."

"I'm sorry."

"I don't want to leave him. Robyn misses him so much."

"Robyn?"

"Our daughter."

Renee swallows hard. Negan and Rick walked into the room. Rick walked over and squeezed Abe's hand. He groaned alittle but didn't wake up.

"You've seen Abe. He's fine and it's time for you to leave. I promise that he will be taken care of.

"I want to stay here with him."

"Not a chance. You are going home."

"Then you will have to drag me out of here kicking and screaming because I'm not leaving."

Negan chuckled.

"So be it."

He picked up the walkie talkie.

"Negan."

He looked at Renee.

"Let her stay."

He squinted at her.

"She hasn't seen him in weeks. Their daughter hasn't seen him in weeks. He can't go home."

She closed the gap between them.

"Let her stay…for alittle while. Please."

"I don't like it."

Renee stepped closer and held his hand.

"Let Rick go home and report back to his people that everything is ok but Sasha should stay."

She saw Rick shifted on his foot from the corner of her eye.

"I'll make sure she's safe Rick. You have my word."

Negan looked at Rick and Sasha. Then he looked at Renee.

"Sasha can stay." He whispered softly.

Renee kissed him.

"Thank you." She turned to Sasha. "Let me show you where you'll be sleeping." **~*~*~*~*~***

Sasha was in the courtyard seeing Rick off.

"You keep your eyes open. Find out whatever you can. The more we know the better."

"Renee is the key. Try to speak to her alone but don't spook her. She is influential but she is loyal to him as well."

"I will Rick. I'll try to see what I could find out."

"Be careful Sasha."

"I will."

They hugged and she watched as a single car followed Rick's car out of the courtyard. **~*~*~*~*~***

Jesus, Beta, Izul, Jimmy and George waited patiently for King Ezekiel to come to the 'throne room'. While Jesus, Beta and the others were getting impatient on waiting, Izul was keeping a firm eye on Shiva who was lounging on the platform near the chair. Shiva let out a semi roar when she stretched out herself and Izul jumped back behind the others.

"If she wanted to eat you, she would have done it in the woods or since we got here."

"How the hell did he get a tiger so domesticate?"

"When the world went to shit I found her."

Jesus and the other spun around quickly. Ezekiel was behind them.

"She was injured on the side of the road near Samortri Woods. I took out some of the undead that was walking towards her. After that, she still didn't trust me. She damn near tore my hand off when I approached her to help or tried to feed her. I set up camp and stayed with her for a week killing everything and anything that came near her. She tried to move several times but one of her back legs was fractured. Eventually, she started trusting me so I took care of her leg. She hasn't left my side since."

"Hmmm. That's a great story but we have other pressing matters at hand. We need an answer."

"I need to meet your leader before I commit to any plan that will endanger the lives of my people."

Jesus was frustrated. Ezekiel asked that he be given one week to make a decision and now he still haven't committed to them.

"Fine. We could leave now."

"No. We'll leave first thing in the morning. Shiva must get a good night's rest for the travel." **~*~*~*~*~***

Rick drove back through the gates of Alexandria relived to be back home. Daryl and the others walked up to him and a state of panic ran through them when they didn't see Sasha with him.

"Where's Sasha?!" Glenn demanded.

"She's staying back at the Hilltop with Abe."

They looked at him confused.

"Negan allowed that?"

"That's hard to believe Rick."

"Actually, he adamantly refused and even threatened to have us dragged out."

"What changed?"

"Renee."

"His wife?"

"Yes. She told him to let Sasha stay."

"And he listened?"

"She reasoned with him."

No one said anything for a couple of minutes.

"I just hope Sasha is safe there."

"She will be. Renee gave me her word and I believe her." **~*~*~*~*~***

Michonne slipped in bed next to her husband and he pulled her close. She could tell that his mind was not with her.

"Worried about Sasha?"

"Strangely, I'm not. I am just hoping that she could get Renee alone. We need Renee on our side. She's the best chance we have of not going to war with Negan and the Saviours."

"Even if we get our numbers up?"

"We will have the numbers but we still don't know where the Sanctuary is. That's Negan home base and the other camp. We only took out the smaller ones. We need more than numbers. I'd rather not lose any more of our people. We need peace."

"And Renee's the key." **~*~*~*~*~***


	75. Chapter 75

**Chapter 75: "Lurking"**

Ingrid and the others from Beta's group have finally simulated into Alexandria. They each were given various chores and assignments which they have fulfilled dedicatedly. The children made friends with the other children in Alexandria and were running and jumping any and everywhere.

It was a nice feeling not to have the Saviours on their backs even if it was alittle while. Everyone was doing well except Lydia. She kept to herself, seemingly only interacted with the people in her group albeit unintentionally. She also seemed to be able to move among the residents and the community as invisible.

She got by everyone, everyone except Enid who have been watching her carefully. She observed Lydia's movements and marvelled how she could be one place this minute and the next she would vanish. She would always have a yellow and black knapsack on her back. She wondered if this had something to do with the group that she was with before leaving with Beta and the others.

She also didn't talk and when she did it was a few words max. After thinking about it for some time, Enid decided to befriend her, with caution. She decided to run the idea by her new husband.

"So what do you think?"

They were patrolling Alexandria together, hand in hand like true newlyweds.

"I think she wants to left alone and when she's ready to let people in, she will."

"She looks lonely. She doesn't talk to anyone."

"Well technically, that's not true. She has Ingrid and the rest of her people. I'm sure she talks to them."

"That's the problem right there. It should be any 'Us' or 'Them'. We are all Alexandrians now."

"Well maybe she hasn't warmed up to that idea as yet. Give her time. Remember what it was like when we first got here? Remember what my dad was like?"

Enid smiled in agreement. Rick was a wild man. He was cagey, didn't trust his own shadow and he was last of the group to let go of all the horrors they had seen on the road. Now he is the leader of the ASZ, a stark difference from when he first arrived. Maybe Carl was right.

"Maybe you're right."

"Maybe I am but that doesn't mean you can't reach out to her. All I'm saying don't push too hard. We want everyone to feel comfortable here. Who knows, the fact that you are reaching out to her may make her warm up to the rest of us."

Enid smiled.

"Hmmmm. You're not too bad at this husband thing. We can communicate."

"You just wait for the next 15 years to roll around. You'll be telling me to shut up and your word is law."

"Trust me. It wouldn't take that long for me to be the Queen of this castle. I already am!"

"Yes ma'am!"

They laughed, continuing their patrol. **~*~*~***

King Ezekiel, Jesus, Beta, George, Izul, Jimmy and Shiva began their journey to Alexandria. Accompanying Ezekiel are two of his most trusted people Rosemarie and her twin sister Kirby. Jesus, Rosemarie and Kirby choose to walk while the others travelled by horse.

Shiva walked by Ezekiel's side and departed occasionally to take out stray walkers ahead of them. She killed with such grace and beauty that even Izul's fear of her dissipated. That is until she roared and he would retreat again to a safe distance.

Beta, George and the others laughed and he felt no comfort by Ezekiel's words that Shiva would not harm him.

"So. Tell me about Rick Grimes, leader of your people."

Beta looked at Jesus.

"Do you not know him?"

"My people and I just joined his community."

Jesus spoke.

"What do you want to know?"

"What kind of person he is, of course."

"Well, he's kind when it's needed and ruthless once warranted."

"And did he have to be ruthless?"

"He did, recently."

"Tell me more."

"These saviours, well some of their people infiltrated Alexandria and the Hilltop. We go out and bring in people who need food and shelter. Unfortunately, they were among them and they lived with us for some time and then they tried to take over. They failed but we lost good people. Innocent people. They targeted the council members wives. Abe's wife Sasha lost their baby. Daryl's wife was almost raped and Rick's wife Michonne was shot. Thank God she survived. The twins too."

Rosemarie and Kirby lit up.

"There are twins in Alexandria?"

Jesus laughed at their excitement.

"Yes. A boy and a girl."

Ezekiel steered the conversation back.

"Is Rick a just man Jesus?"

"We wouldn't be asking you to come back with us if he wasn't."

"We will see." **~*~*~***

As promised, Renee made sure that Sasha was well taken care of. The first night she spent in the medical room with Abe at her insistence but a room was also prepared for her. Renee visited Abe during the night to check on him and change his bandages.

The next day, she was given a hearty breakfast. For most of the morning, she stayed at Abe's side and in the evening decided that she needed a walk to clear her head and to observe. Saviours were littered all over the Hilltop, either patrolling outside the walls or standing guard at the walls.

Partially hidden by a tree, she saw Negan out by a corner garden picking flowers. Her eyes followed him as he walked over, flowers behind his back and stood behind Renee who was talking to some of the residents. She noticed how at ease they were interacting with her and when they saw Negan, they stiffened up and disbursed.

She turned around and after they spoke a few words, he presented her with the flowers. She blushed, smelt them and they kissed. Negan was a completely different person when he's around Renee. Everyone submits to Negan but he submits to her and only her.

Her getting to stay at the Hilltop with Abe is further proof of that. Dr Bryce walked up and stood next to her and they watched as Negan and Renee's interaction. She had to know more.

"What is their story? Looking at him now, I don't even recognize the asshole in him."

"She's the reason he looks human."

Sasha glanced at him.

"I can only tell you what I've seen with my own eyes and from what the Saviours whispered about them."

"Ok."

"They met after the world gone to shit. He had many wives…"

"What?"

"Yeah you heard me. Wives! But when he met her he send them all away, just for her. She has a daughter, Jasmine that he raised as his own. He loves her. She tempers his rage by reasoning with him. He listens to her."

"Can she help get Negan off our backs? Permanently?"

"She got you to stay here didn't she? We both know Negan would have never allowed that."

"I need to talk to her but she seems to always be guarded."

"Well it's your only way of any peaceful resolution."

"And if she doesn't help we will just have to take her and force his hand."

Dr Bryce's sudden intake of breath caught Sasha's attention.

"I would strongly advise against that."

"If taking her is the only way to keep Negan at bay, why not do it?"

"Because the last person who tried to 'take' Renee ended up with his brains in the dirt you're walking on right now."

"What happened?"

"Gregory tried to rape her."

"Gregory?"

"Yes. He beat her up pretty badly during the attack. He cracked ribs. She lost their baby."

Sasha swallowed hard. Renee maybe the wife of her enemy but she was a woman first. She could sympathize. She too lost a baby at the hands of Negan's men but Renee is not to be blamed for his actions.

"Where did this happen?"

He pointed to the shed and Sasha was confused.

"Is that why she's always guarded?"

"Yes."

"Then why is she living here?"

"She doesn't. She lives at the Sanctuary but came back because I needed her help. It was too risky for Abe to go to the Sanctuary. She's experienced with trauma. If she wasn't here I don't know what would have happened."

"Has she gone back home since?"

"She's not going to leave until Abe is on his feet."

They looked at Negan listen intently to what Renee was saying to him. He was completely enthralled.

"You want to get to Negan, Renee is the key. Talk to her. Get her to listen to you. It may not go your way right away but work at it. If she gets hurt again or dies there will be nothing to stop him from burning everyone or everything to the ground."

Dr Bryce walked away leaving her to her thoughts. **~*~*~***

Enid mulled over the conversation she had with Carl earlier and decided to talk to Lydia. She packed a basket of fruits and a book and went over to their house. She thought Lydia was at home because her yellow and black knapsack was on the patio. When she was told that Lydia wasn't there, she decided to walk around to try and find her.

Fifteen minutes later, she found her, sitting quietly by the pond on the east side of Alexandria. All of a sudden, as she approached from behind she felt a bit nervous and unsure. Taking a deep breath she approached, with caution.

"Hey."

Lydia looked up startled at first and then slightly annoyed at the intrusion. Enid ignored her and sat down. Lydia's feet were folded up under her and Enid followed same. She placed the basket between them. She took out a peach and offered it to her.

Lydia looked at the fruit, then at Enid and then back at the fruit. Then she picked up an apple from the basket herself and bit into it. They ate in silence for ten minutes.

"Why are you here?"

"You don't talk to anyone here, except for you own people and since there isn't anyone else in your age group there, it seemed like you need a friend."

"I don't need a friend. I just need to survive until it's my time to die."

"Everyone needs a friend, whether they want to admit or not."

Lydia laughed.

"Even if you're right, the people here…they are nice. There is no room in this world for nice people. When you're nice you are weak and the weak die."

"If you got to know any of us here you would know that's not true. We are nice because we could afford to. We earned our place to relax. Alexandria didn't land in our laps. We fought hard to get here and preserve it. We will fight anyone and everyone who try to take this place away from us."

"You fight to build communities among the dead and dying to preserve a shell of a life and for what? What's the point of it all? It's not real!"

Enid pointed to the group of children from her group playing with the other children of Alexandria.

"For them!"

She pointed to Michonne and the other ladies congregating around Dominic, Avery, Caleb, Robyn and Elsa as they learn to walk.

"And them! We fight for them. We make this place work for them! This is real for them!"

The passion in Enid's voice took Lydia by surprise and she looked at her. She seemed somewhat comforted, temporarily. She contemplated Enid's words.

"It would have been so nice if I had ended up in a place like this when everything went to hell then maybe I would see what you see, feel what you feel."

"What happened to you out there? Beta mentioned that you most of all needed a place like this. What did he mean?"

Lydia closed her eyes.

"When the people who are suppose to love and protect you trade you and use you like cattle, like a piece of meat to keep a sick, twisted, crumbling ideology together, to maintain control, sometimes it's better to turn to complete strangers for solace. That's what he meant."

A tear escaped Lydia's eyes and her words left Enid shaken. She didn't know what to think.

"Do you truly believe in this place?"

"Yes. I do."

Lydia finally opened her eyes and faced Enid.

"Then you defend it. Don't let anyone take it away from you and I'll do whatever I can to help you."

Although Lydia's words were positive, the way she said them didn't convey confidence. There was frustration in Lydia's voice but Enid also heard fear. She is fearful of something or someone. Lydia rose to her feet and pointed to the basket.

"Can I keep this?"

Enid nodded and Lydia took the basket and walked back to her house. **~*~*~***

Only half an hour had passed since she and Lydia talked and since then a knot have been present in the pit of her stomach, a knot that have been growing as each minute ticks by. She couldn't let go of the dread she was feeling.

She had to ask Lydia exactly what she's afraid of. Bouncing to her feet she jogged to Lydia's home. No one was there but the basket was on the steps leading to the patio. All the fruits were gone and a small piece of paper was sticking out from under it.

' _Enid…..you and your people have been nothing but kind to me ever since I got here and for that I'm grateful. Even though I don't believe that this place will last, you believe and that's enough for me to leave. It's for your own protection._

 _I can't let her find me here because if she does, she will take me back and punish everyone in Alexandria. I have lived with a lot but I couldn't live with that. Don't try to look for me. I'll be ok. Give this note to Ingrid. She and the others will understand.'_

Enid looked into the patio. The knapsack was gone.


End file.
